After an 8-0 shutout win in the opening game of the finals series on Friday, the Southern Stampede backed it up with a 6-3 win against the Botany Swarm in Auckland last night.
It sealed their New Zealand Men’s Ice Hockey League title as they lifted the Birgil Cup for a record 10th time.
"We felt pretty good," coach Cam Frear said on how his team felt heading in to game two.
"We knew that if we played out the right way and we played defensively well again, we’d be successful.
"Some of the times where the momentum wasn’t really our way, and we had to dig in, we drew a lot of confidence from the times we’ve been here and know what it takes to win a final.
"You look at guys in our team and they’re willing to do anything to win.
"Whether you’re sitting on the bench for a whole period, and you’re called on to go out there, they’re willing to do more than what they need for themselves, but for the team, and that’s why we’re successful."
The Stampede wasted no time in game two when Davis Ross’ shot was deflected and landed with Mike McRae, who finished it off in the opening two minutes.
Colin McIntosh made the Swarm pay during the power play to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage.
Two minutes left in the period and under penalty advantage, the Swarm moved it around quickly.
After several shots, Balint Pakozdi wired it home from a Luke Simon assist in the power play.
Swarm goalie Grace Harrison pulled off some brilliant saves for the Swarm to trail 2-1 at the first break.
Similar to the opening period, the Stampede made quick work of extending their lead when Dylan Devlin’s shot rebounded into the goal.
They extended in a double power play when McIntosh found the net again.
That pushed the score to 4-1 but, just as they did earlier, the Swarm fought back late.
Jackson Fountaine scored an outrageous shot from out wide to close the gap 4-2 at the end of the second period.
Harrison came up with a mammoth save to start third and brought the crowd to their feet.
McIntosh, who was named MVP of the finals series, then passed the puck across the crease to McRae in a two-on-one play and McRae finished off his second.
Pakozdi hit back with his second to bring it back to 5-3 with eight minutes to go.
The Swarm had an empty net in the dying minutes, desperate to make up points.
But when Connor Harrison sent the puck flying the length of the ice it struck its target for the Stampede to secure the title.
