The Stampede delivered an emphatic performance and helped secure a playoff spot for the Dunedin Thunder in the process.
Chasing top spot in the final round of the national ice hockey league, the Stampede scored all its goals in the first two periods to beat the Botany Swarm 7-0 in Auckland on Saturday.
The result also knocked the Swarm out of contention.
It had needed two wins to surpass the Thunder, which had a bye, for the third and final playoff spot.
Mike McRae, Connor Harrison and Stefan Amston all scored in the first period to give the Stampede a 3-0 lead. The side then piled in another four in the second period, Adam Soffer scoring three and Amston adding another.
It was unable to score in the third period, although it was able to hold the Swarm scoreless, giving keeper Daniel Lee a shutout.
The Stampede played again last night in the game that decided whether it would advance straight to the final or play the Thunder in a one-off match to make the final.
A win would guarantee it a spot, edging the West Auckland Admirals on the tiebreaker if both were tied for top spot. On the other hand, a loss would leave the side relying on the result of the Admirals’ game against the Canterbury Red Devils, which was also played last night.
The Admirals escaped with a 5-4 win over the Red Devils on Saturday to remain level on points at the top of the table with the Stampede.
