Skycity Stampede Win 2024 Birgel Cup

Amidst the breathtaking alpine views at the Queenstown Ice Arena, the SkyCity Stampede solidified their legacy in New Zealand ice hockey history by securing their record ninth Birgel Cup over the weekend, defeating the West Auckland Admirals 2-0 in the best-of-three series.

Founded in 2005, the NZIHL is New Zealand’s premier men’s ice hockey competition. Teams compete across a 16-game regular season for the prestigious Birgel Cup, named after former NZIHF President Günther Birgel. Over the years, the championship has become a symbol of excellence in New Zealand hockey, drawing talent not only from across the country but also from abroad.

Finishing the regular season in first place, the SkyCity Stampede earned the right to advance directly to the grand final series, which they would also host. Meanwhile, the West Auckland Admirals battled their cross-town rivals, the Botany Swarm, in a semi-final series to determine who would challenge the Stampede. The Admirals emerged victorious, setting the stage for an exciting grand final showdown.

Game one of the grand final delivered action right from the start, with the SkyCity Stampede scoring just 57 seconds into the match, thanks to a rebound goal from import player Nolan Ross. The Stampede extended their lead in the second period through a goal by fellow import Jett McCullum.

While the Admirals managed to narrow the gap in the final minutes of the third period with a goal from import Pim van der Meulen, the Stampede held on to win 2-1.

Watch the full highlights from Game 1 below:

Game two unfolded at a more measured pace, with both teams knowing the stakes: a must-win for the SkyCity Stampede to claim the cup, and a win-or-go-home scenario for the Admirals to force a decisive Game 3. The Stampede struck first late in the opening period on a power play, with Lachlan Frear finding the back of the net.

The Admirals responded in the second period with a goal from team MVP Alex Regan, but their celebration was short-lived as Nolan Ross scored on a penalty shot—an uncommon sight in NZIHL playoff hockey. Ross netted another goal in the third period, extending the Stampede’s lead to 3-1, followed by an empty-net goal from Jordan Challis in the final two minutes.

The Admirals managed a consolation goal with just seven seconds remaining, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Stampede from clinching a 4-2 victory and their ninth Birgel Cup.

Stampede Head Coach, Cam Frear, said “Winning the NZIHL championship is a testament to the relentless dedication, teamwork, and heart our players put into every single game. I’m incredibly proud of how this group came together and fought for each other all season long”.

Watch the full highlights from Game 2 below:

SkyCity Stampede’s #95, Nolan Ross, was named the Finals MVP, adding to his regular-season MVP and top points awards earned before the finals weekend.

View the full list of award recipients here: https://www.nzihl.com/2024/09/08/2024-nzihl-awards/