NZIHL GRAND FINAL GAME 1

Well at least this series isn’t done on aggregate….

With the first game of the NZIHL grand final now over, it was some performance from the Star City Stampede. A phenomenal result of 8-0, with not one stampede player scoring two goals, showing their true depth and attacking prowess is proving to be a hard stop, let alone breakdown.

The numbers from Game 1 paint a vivid picture: Southern Stampede stamped their authority from the first puck drop, surging ahead with four unanswered goals in the opening period. Frear opened the scoring at 03:22, thanks to Ross  assist, setting the tone for an onslaught that Botany Swarm found impossible to repel. By the end of the first, Macharg , McCullum  (on the power play), and Ross himself had all added their names to the score sheet, each goal the result of collective effort and sharp passing.

In the second period, Stampede kept the pressure relentless. McRae  struck on a power play at 10:52, assisted by Ross  and McIntosh, and Devlin made it six before the buzzer, further extending the lead. The third period was no mercy either, as Frear and McIntosh  (again on the power play) put the final touches on an emphatic 8-0 victory.

Each goal showcased the Stampede’s depth—no single player scored twice, yet the assists flowed freely, with Ross N. featuring in four tallies. Power plays proved crucial, as three of the eight goals came with the man advantage. Botany Swarm struggled to find answers all night, unable to break through the Southern rearguard or halt the slick Stampede offense. With such a dominant display in the first leg, the series momentum is firmly with the Stampede, as they look to seal the championship in style.