The Dunedin Penguins are on a high.
All three teams - under-13, under-16 and seniors - recently won their respective grades in the Southern League.
It marks the first time any club has won all three grades in the league, which features teams from Dunedin, Alexandra, Queenstown, Gore and Maniototo.
The under-13 side was especially dominant among seven teams contesting the grade, winning all 16 of its games on its way to a fourth straight title.
It also won a weekend tournament in Gore, in which eight teams battled it out.
The under-16 team also went undefeated in its competition, which started at the end of April along with the other two.
In addition to winning the senior grade, Dunedin's senior team also won the Erewhon Cup, which was contested over a weekend in Alexandra.
The trophy was first contested at Opawa, near Albury in South Canterbury, in 1937.
Rules state it has to be contested in an outdoor arena, which means Naseby, Tekapo and Alexandra usually host it.
The senior division is a step below the National Ice Hockey League, and rostered players in the top league are not allowed to compete in it.
Dunedin coach Janos Kaszala thinks the results can mean only good things for the future of ice hockey in the city, and said Dunedin club president Peter Wallace also deserved credit for his work behind the scenes.
He said player numbers in the city were continuing to increase, which boded well for the future of the Dunedin Thunder in the national league.
''Especially focusing on the young ones, because these guys are the future of the Thunder,'' he said.
''We have a lot of kids playing now and it's becoming more popular.
''You have to look at the whole thing as a pyramid. If your base is wider, than you have more players to pick from for the Thunder.
''In the age groups, we just focus on team development and structure.
''We add more as they get older, so by the time they get to the Thunder level they know everything about the structure of the game.''
