Top teams gear up for ice war
SkyCity Stampede's Connor Harrison helps Mako's Markus MacDonald get some air time during the teams' game in Queenstown last Saturday. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
There was a risk Friday night's game between the SkyCity Stampede and Auckland Mako development ice hockey teams was going to end up with a cricket score.
At the final whistle it was 11-2, to the home side, the Stampede having piled on 6 goals in the first 20 minutes, courtesy of Jack Robbie, Jett McCullum, Taylor Clark and two apiece from Axel Ruski-Jones and Colin McIntosh.
Ruski-Jones found the net twice more in the second period while Max Macharg restarted the scoring in the third, McIntosh got his trifecta and Connor Harrison slotted one in, too, with the Mako's second goal coming in the last minute.
Additionally, McIntosh led the assists with four, followed by Dylan Devlin (3), Connor Harrison, Callum Burns and Jordan Challis (2 each), and Ben Harford, Taylor Clark, Jessie Hutchins, Blake Campbell and Jack Robbie (1 each).
While Stampede still enjoyed a comfortable 6-1 win on Saturday (Harrison, 2, Nolan Ross, 2, Ollie Ruski-Jones and Axel Ruski-Jones, 1 each), Mako, primarily comprising emerging players from the Stampede, Phoenix Thunder and Canterbury Red Devils, managed to save 57 of the shots on goal.
Points from that round don't count in the NZ Ice Hockey League, in which the Stampede and West Auckland Admirals are in joint first place — the titans will play each other, in Auckland, next weekend.
In the New Zealand Women's Ice Hockey League, the Wakatipu Wild had a hard-fought 4-2 win over the Phoenix Thunder in Dunedin last Saturday, and a reverse of fortunes last Sunday.
In the first game, Caitlin 'Judy' Heale got the Wild on the board, assisted by Kelli Burstein and Kellye Nelson, before the Thunder answered back.
Nelson put the Wild back in front in the second period, assisted by Heale and Caitlyn Hollyer, but the Thunder equalised again at the beginning of the third.
But two unanswered goals from the Wild — from Inge Kemp and Burstein, assisted by Nelson and Heale — got the job done.
On Sunday the Wild lost 3-1 — their only goal coming from Kemp, assisted by Bobbie Weeks and Gabby Mills, in the second period.
The Wild, in second on the table behind Auckland, have two weekends off before playing Canterbury, in Queenstown, on June 13 and 14.
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Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Top teams gear up for ice war
SkyCity Stampede's Connor Harrison helps Mako's Markus MacDonald get some air time during the teams' game in Queenstown last Saturday. PHOTO: SUPPLIED There was a risk Friday night's game between the SkyCity Stampede and Auckland Mako development ice hockey teams was going to end up with a cricket score. At the final whistle it was 11-2, to the home side, the Stampede having piled on 6 goals in the first 20 minutes, courtesy of Jack Robbie, Jett McCullum, Taylor Clark and two apiece from Axel Ruski-Jones and Colin McIntosh. Ruski-Jones found the net twice more in the second period while Max Macharg restarted the scoring in the third, McIntosh got his trifecta and Connor Harrison slotted one in, too, with the Mako's second goal coming in the last minute. Additionally, McIntosh led the assists with four, followed by Dylan Devlin (3), Connor Harrison, Callum Burns and Jordan Challis (2 each), and Ben Harford, Taylor Clark, Jessie Hutchins, Blake Campbell and Jack Robbie (1 each). While Stampede still enjoyed a comfortable 6-1 win on Saturday (Harrison, 2, Nolan Ross, 2, Ollie Ruski-Jones and Axel Ruski-Jones, 1 each), Mako, primarily comprising emerging players from the Stampede, Phoenix Thunder and Canterbury Red Devils, managed to save 57 of the shots on goal. Points from that round don't count in the NZ Ice Hockey League, in which the Stampede and West Auckland Admirals are in joint first place — the titans will play each other, in Auckland, next weekend. In the New Zealand Women's Ice Hockey League, the Wakatipu Wild had a hard-fought 4-2 win over the Phoenix Thunder in Dunedin last Saturday, and a reverse of fortunes last Sunday. In the first game, Caitlin 'Judy' Heale got the Wild on the board, assisted by Kelli Burstein and Kellye Nelson, before the Thunder answered back. Nelson put the Wild back in front in the second period, assisted by Heale and Caitlyn Hollyer, but the Thunder equalised again at the beginning of the third. But two unanswered goals from the Wild — from Inge Kemp and Burstein, assisted by Nelson and Heale — got the job done. On Sunday the Wild lost 3-1 — their only goal coming from Kemp, assisted by Bobbie Weeks and Gabby Mills, in the second period. The Wild, in second on the table behind Auckland, have two weekends off before playing Canterbury, in Queenstown, on June 13 and 14.
Otago Daily Times
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- Otago Daily Times
Stampede win two from two over Makos
Photo: file 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.
Otago Daily Times
15-05-2025
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Skating into a southern feud
Mark Shroyer has stumbled into the middle of a rivalry he is only beginning to understand. The 29-year-old American has signed with the Dunedin Thunder and arrived in the country on Saturday. The powerful defenceman has been playing professionally in France for four years, but he will call Dunedin home for the remainder of the New Zealand Ice Hockey League. He has had a couple of skates on the ice with his new team-mates, between checking out the city's beaches with his girlfriend, Charline Maehr. They are an outdoorsy couple and plan to do some hiking while they are here. Shroyer is keen to do some fishing as well. But tonight he will be fishing for a win. His first assignment with the Thunder is as tough as it gets. They are hosting the Stampede, their Queenstown-based provincial rivals, in back-to-back games this weekend. The Stampede have set the benchmark in the league for the past decade and are an Otago team worth celebrating. They are a finalist for the team of the year for the Otago Sports Awards. That must grate on Dunedin's ice hockey fans. Enter Shroyer. He had a solid college career at Castleton University and went on to play three seasons in France for Morzine-Avoriaz and a season for Tours. Shroyer has a reputation as a reliable defender who likes to get forward and attack. "A lot of people so far have mentioned the rivalry," Shroyer said. "I think I'm going to understand a lot more about what the rivalry means in a couple of days. "But I'm excited that my first game will have a lot of meaning for our town here and that I can show that it means a lot to me and that I'm all-in for Dunedin." Shroyer played against Thunder player Cole Beckstead while in France, and that connection brought about the opportunity to come to Dunedin to play for the Thunder. "I've always wanted to travel to this part of the world. I've always been fascinated and wanted to see it." He also heard ice hockey was a growing sport in New Zealand and he wanted to be part of that. "I just thought it would be really cool to come and help do that." He is doing some coaching while here. "If I can help this team win some hockey games and bring some more fans to the club — that is really my biggest goal. "Outside of that, it is about me and my girlfriend enjoying our time here and just really diving into the culture in New Zealand. "We are really just starting to peel back how much this place has to offer and are actually pretty blown away by what it has to offer." The Stampede (12 points) lead the competition standings from the Thunder (9), West Auckland Admirals (9), Botany Swarm (6) and Canterbury Red Devils (0).
