It was a day of hidings in Dunedin premier hockey with strikers filling their boots in some one-sided games.
In what was meant to be the most competitive game on Saturday, the City Highlanders annihilated the University Huskies 7-0, to send a reminder to the rest of the competition that they are far from a finished unit.
After a slowish start, City opened the scoring at the end of the first quarter through Lucy Pottinger, doubling that lead in the second quarter through Chloe Donaldson.
After suffering a couple of green cards, City did well to maintain their lead, controlling possession rather well.
The second half was dominated by Tessa Jopp, who showed her international quality with four penalty corner goals and some excellent deflecting skills to put the Huskies to the sword.
Charlotte Ackermann bagged the other goal in what turned into a thumping.
Outside of the usual stars, Jopp and Donaldson, Ava Murphy and Mya O’Connor were tidy though it was a bit of a training run for the defending champions in the end.
The Huskies were missing a few players but they will be bitterly disappointed to have put up such a poor showing after winning the previous week.
The game between Kings United and Momona was deferred due to the Junior Hockey League.
The Taieri Tigers beat the University Stingrays 2-0 in the bottom-of-the-table clash.
Having conceded double figures last week, the Stingrays showed much more defensive resilience, and for a long time, it looked like they would eventually be rewarded for that.
It was not to be as two fourth-quarter goals powered the Tigers to a much-needed victory.
In the premier men’s competition, every team managed a goal.
In the final rematch, the University Whales were left shell-shocked by a ruthless Taieri Tuataras team who nearly put up double digits.
The Whales were missing goalkeeper Hugh Nixon, but he likely would have been rendered powerless.
James Nicolson was ruthless, banging home six goals for Taieri.
There were no double digits, but a 9-1 win was quite a statement by the Tuataras.
The Albany Alligators smashed the University Panthers 15-1.
It was a ruthless showing, but questions ought to be asked of the Panthers, who are looking less competitive than ever.
Among the goals for the Gators were Jakob Annison (four), Tom French (three), Nick Parata and Thomas O’Connor (two each).
In the day’s other game, hat-tricks to Sam Gradwell and Charles Darling helped Kings United Cobras breeze to a 10-1 win over the Southland Barbarians.
— Nicholas Friedlander
