Much-needed points were lost in Auckland on Saturday night but Southern Stampede captain Simon Glass is confident his team can still make the finals of the 2013 New Zealand Ice Hockey League.
The weekend's double-header games were very different.
Against the West Auckland Admirals on Sunday, Stampede goalie Kane Easterbrook achieved a shutout, but on Saturday the Queenstown team
only notched up two points against the lowest-ranked team.
Suspensions picked up from past games meant Glass, defenceman Adam Blanchette and forward Mike McRae could not play in Saturday's game.
They watched from the sidelines as the Admirals peppered the Stampede's goal with shots then barred the Stampede from doing the same.
''Saturday was just really flat and I think it's always been a challenge of ours travelling on game day ... and trying to stay focused on the road. Summing up the 6-2 loss, Glass lamented: ''We just couldn't get momentum and couldn't get it going and they got the better of us.''
With only four more games ahead of the finals for the Stampede, points are much sought-after.
McRae and Blanchette were back on for Sunday but Glass served his last night of suspension and will be back for this weekend's final home games against the Dunedin Thunder.
''Certainly on Saturday night it was tough because the three of us were watching it ... McRae and Blanchette as well, [and] we were all itching to get out there, and they were obviously big factors in last night's [Sunday] game so [it was] good to see them get back.''
The Stampede triumphed on Sunday with a 6-nil win over the same team it struggled to score against the night before.
Top-scorer Matt Schneider scored many of the goals on Sunday. Glass said with Schneider flying back to Canada for a wedding this weekend, other players would need to fill the void.
''We have got a lot of good rivalry with Dunedin. They are top of the table...at the moment and we have had a win and a loss against them and I am confident. We will be chasing a couple of wins because this time of year we need a couple of wins.
''We have to win all four games. That's our most secure outcome.''
