The Southern Stampede's title drought will stretch into an eighth year after its slim hopes of making the national ice hockey league semifinals were dashed at the weekend.
Needing to win both games in the doubleheader against the Canterbury Red Devils, and hoping the lowly West Auckland Admirals could upset the Dunedin Thunder, nothing went right for the Stampede.
The Thunder beat the Admirals twice, and will host the national final in its first appearance there.
In Christchurch, the Stampede slipped to 5-2 (Saturday) and 3-1 (Sunday) losses to the Red Devils, to finish fourth in the five-team league.
The Stampede won the New Zealand league in its debut year, 2005, and defended the title a year later.
But a third title has remained frustratingly out of reach.
The Queenstown-based side reached the final in 2009 (lost to Red Devils), 2011 (lost to Botany Swarm) and 2012 (lost to Red Devils), but could not quite get the job done. The Stampede provided some of the better individual performers in the league.
Mike McRae's 35 points (13 points and 22 assists) were third most in the league, and Schneider (33 points, including 21 goals) and Kirk Golden (29 points, including 21 assists) were also significant contributors. Tommy Zizian added 11 goals and Blanchette had 11 assists.
