The Southern Stampede gave the Ice Blacks an intensely physical time of it during a two-game series in Queenstown over the weekend.
There were plenty of big hits and penalties as the sides went hammer-and-tongs on the ice in the season-ending event aimed at helping the Ice Blacks prepare for their next world championship tournament.
The Stampede won the first game 6-4, and the Ice Blacks the second 3-2 in a shootout.
In game two on Saturday, the Stampede led 2-0 at the end of the first period through goals to Will Compton and Matt Schneider.
Nick Henderson pulled one back for the national squad in the second period, and Andrew Hay scored the equaliser to send the game to overtime. Neither side could score in the extra period, so it went to a shootout, and the Ice Blacks pulled through.
In Friday's opening clash, the Ice Blacks led 3-1 after the first period, but the Stampede scored the only two goals of the second.
It was 4-4 with minutes to play when Brett Speirs scored his second goal for the Stampede, and Hayden Argyle completed the scoring with an empty-net goal.
