Stampede win two from two over Makos
The Southern Stampede are back at their best.
The Stampede recorded two big wins against the Auckland Mako for the defending champions to remain at the top of the national men's ice hockey league table.
Playing at home in Queenstown, the Stampede thumped the Mako 11-2 on Friday.
It was a red-hot start where Colin McIntosh and Axel Ruski-Jones each had a double in the first period to add to team-mates Jack Robbie and Jett McCullum's goals.
Thomas Clark scored for the Makos to trail 6-1.
Ruski-Jones added another two in the second period and Maxwell Macharg, Connor Harrison and McIntosh added another to round out the big win.
The Stampeded followed up with a 6-1 victory on Saturday.
Harrison and Nolan Ross scored a brace and Ruski-Jones and Ollie Ruski-Jones added the others.
The Dunedin Thunder had a 6-3 loss to the West Auckland Admirals. They played again yesterday and the Admirals won again, 4-3.
In the national women's league, the Wakatipu Wild had a 4-2 win against the Thunder.
Former Thunder player and Ice Fern Caitlin-Judith Heale got the Wild under way 17 minutes in with the opening goal.
But Ice Fern team-mate Sammy Heyward struck back for the Thunder to be 1-1 at the end of the first period.
Kellye Nelson added another for the Wild in the only points in the second period.
French import Lea Mullender levelled the score for the Thunder early in the final period. But the Wild hit back with late goals to Inge Kemp and Kelli Burstein to seal the victory.
The Wild and the Thunder played again yesterday. The Thunder won 3-1.
kayla.hodge@odt.co.nz
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
20 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Woodlands premier grade champs
Woodlands was crowned the 2025 Southland premier grade club rugby champions on Saturday after winning the Galbraith Shield final at Rugby Park. Woodlands beat Pirates Old Boys 40-30 in an entertaining match. Pirates were the minor premiership winners and started the game as slight favourites but Woodlands were confident. Coach Richard Jones said it was a pretty special win. "It was pretty gritty. We were confident within our group, nice and relaxed during the week with a good vibe. We knew we were strong." Woodlands first five-eighth Marty McKenzie was the most impactful player in the opening 15 minutes, organising the attack before he showed his silky skills to glide through the defence to score his team's first points. With Woodlands leading 19-17 at halftime, most pundits favoured Pirates to go on to win with the wind behind them but Jones had a different opinion. "Pirates are a strong side. They threw a heap at us but we knew if we worked hard, kept reloading and bringing the ball back into the wind then we can score points." Jones labelled the individual performances from prop Paula Latu, No 8 Ethan McDonald and halfback Liam Howley as massive. "Our young forwards Riley Smith, Alex Yallop and Caleb Karangaroa were also great." Reid Murray has played in the club's B team most of the season but he did a good job on the wing, as did regular loose forward Justin Shaw on the other side. Jones had praise for the solid players in the team. "Guys like Jahn Stodart and Drew Carter have been the guts of our team each week. "It's been a great group of guys to work with, a really enjoyable season." Pirates have been the most consistent side during the last five years under the guidance of coach Dayna Cunningham and deserved another competition win but their execution was not quite where it needed to be on Saturday. Their cause was not helped by fullback Kaea Nikora going off in the first half with a leg injury. Albion lost 31-30 to Bluff down at the port-side town in the last round-robin games of the division one club rugby competition on Saturday. This was a tough, physical contest and an exciting match to finish the season. The Albion players put in all of their effort but the result did not go their way and they were dropped into fifth on the points table by Bluff. Albion won five of their 14 matches in division one this year. The team and club had plenty of performances to be proud of and are grateful to all of their supporters. Edendale beat Pioneer 43-21 at Edendale. Lock Matt Ward was man of the match, while No 8 Cole Williams was another player to stand out, and first five-eighth Bram Fodie deserved to score his try, which was one of six for on the day for the Magpies. Utility back Josh Davers defended well for Pioneer, while Jayk Kirby and Braiden Patterson were also good for the visitors. The Magpies finished the round robin with 10 wins from 14 games and secured second position on the ladder behind Wyndham and will host a semifinal this Saturday against the Riversdale Waikaka Vikings. Wyndham beat Te Anau 46-5 in Te Anau after leading 22-0 at halftime. Blindside flanker Nathan Bee was man of the match, while right wing Luke Bryson impressed throughout the game and scored two of Wyndham's eight tries. Prop Kirk Given is also in good form leading in to this week's semifinal against Pioneer. Riversdale Waikaka Vikings beat Tokanui 39-22 in Riversdale on Saturday. Tokanui have won three of their 13 games and are scheduled to play Te Anau this Saturday in a catchup game from the regular season. By John Langford
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
ABs coach hints at fresh faces for final France test
By Jamie Wall of RNZ All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan has hinted at changes to the team for Saturday's final test against France. Head coach Scott Robertson had vowed before the series started that he would use all 33 of his initial squad, and with the attrition rate high already, his hand may be forced anyway. "I think it's an opportunity to have a look at a few, there's been some older players that haven't had a crack," said Ryan today at a wet team training in Hamilton. "They've trained extremely well and done their job setting up the test team that's had the opportunity on Saturday. So I think that that gives us an opportunity to have at a look a few and trust that our whole squad of who we pick can do a job. So we're excited by that." The changes will likely give the team a very Chiefs-like feel, appropriate given that the game is in Hamilton. Hooker Brodie McAlister, midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown and loose forward Luke Jacobson are likely to rotate in. None of those players have featured so far, but the Chiefs connection might be extended with a recall of Quinn Tupaea and a start for Damian McKenzie. Also, lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi may be in line for a test debut after injuries to Scott Barrett and Tupou Vaa'i, and Fabian Holland's heavy workload in the first two matches. Ah Kuoi was brought in as an emergency replacement during the build up to the first test and has been with the squad ever since. Emoni Narawa was in the same boat, with the winger already starting a test and putting in a solid display in the 43-17 win in Wellington. Halfback Noah Hotham and prop George Bower from the Crusaders are the other players to have not featured yet in the series. Meanwhile, one player who will almost certainly back in the starting lineup is Sevu Reece. The winger's first test involvement ended after only a couple of minutes when he was forced from the field with an HIA, but says he is ready to go - which is just as well as the All Blacks have lost Caleb Clarke for up to eight weeks with an ankle injury. "We've got an opportunity now to really put a statement that this is our 2025 season and that's how we're going to roll out, All Blacks 2025," said Reece, who said the team was preparing for anything from the unpredictable French team. "Nothing to lose mindset like, you know, will we let's be expecting anything and everything from them. They'll throw everything at us. So we're preparing like it's the first test. We know how they play, they won't go away and will stick in there till the 80th minute." The test at FMG Stadium Waikato is sold out, the third test in a row to achieve the feat. After this weekend the All Blacks will prepare for The Rugby Championship, where they start their campaign with two tests in Argentina.
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Paul Henry sails from Auckland to Fiji, compares journey to childbirth
Former All Black Ian Jones weighs in on the weekend's win Former All Black Ian Jones talks to Ryan Bridge about the All Blacks victory against the French on Saturday. Video / NZHerald
