Double Header Weekend
We were spoilt for choice over the weekend with the Premier Hockey League’s first and only Double Header Weekend. Teams played two games each, one on both Saturday and Sunday, making for eight great games of hockey for fans to watch across both Auckland and Hamilton.
The first game of the weekend in Auckland, North Harbour, provided an exciting match with a close scoreline. The Men’s Falcons went into the halftime break 2-0 up over the Tridents, courtesy of a field goal and a converted goal from Jonty Elmes. Dylan Thomas extended the Falcons' lead to three in the 40th minute. However, a Tridents resurgence, led by a hat-trick from Charl Urlich, leveled the score at 3-3. Patrick Madder’s 60th-minute shot on goal restored the Falcons' lead, and they held firm to secure a 4-3 victory.
Next up, the Men’s Alpiners played down the highway in Hamilton, leaving with all the points in their matchup against hosts Mavericks, defeating them 7-0. It was a slow start on the goal-scoring front with teams bringing the heat in the second half, including a four-goal haul from Sam Lane.
On the Women’s side, the Falcons defeated the Tridents in the lowest-scoring match of the season with a 1-0 result. The only goal was scored in the 5th minute of the game by Olivia Shannon.
The Women’s Alpiners vs. Mavericks match was tight. The Alpiners went into the halftime break 2-0 up with Jenna-Rae McIntyre finding the backboard twice. However, the Mavericks fought back in the second half, with Sharnae Taylor and Lucy Russ striking within five minutes of each other to level the score at 2-2. It was the Alpiners who had the final say though, as Millie Calder found the goal in the 60th minute to seal a 3-2 victory.
Day Two of the doubleheader weekend saw the Men’s Alpiners become the first men's side to secure their spot in the Gold Medal Final, defeating the Tridents 6-2, giving them a five-point lead on the table. This means that regardless of the second-place result, they’re into the Final. James Nicholson of the Alpiners opened the scoring early in Auckland and while Robbie Capizzi from the Tridents tried to level things up, they couldn’t compete with Sam Lane who added four more to the score yet again.
The Men’s Falcons went two for two over the weekend, defeating hosts Mavericks 7-4 in Hamilton in a close match. Goals from the Mavericks were slow to come but came in quick succession with Nic Woods, Luke Aldred, and Paul Dosch scoring between the 38th and 42nd minute. But it was Dylan Thomas and Sam Hiha who together found the back of the goal seven times for the Falcons, ultimately bringing the game to a winning close.
In yet another evenly contested match, the Women’s Tridents emerged 4-2 winners against the Women’s Alpiners, giving the home crowd something to cheer about. Breana Catley gave the Tridents a 2-0 lead with a solidly executed reverse shot on goal and conversion, with the Alpiners responding swiftly with another great reverse goal by Mezzy Surridge. With goals back and forth between teams, the Tridents had the final say with a rebound off the goalie picked up by Sophie Hildsley in the 55th minute.
The final match of the eight-game weekend saw the Mavericks Women take on the Falcons in Hamilton. It was a one-sided result, with the Falcons dominating in a 3-0 win with goals by Olivia Shannon and Anna Willocks. The Falcons Women’s team currently sits at the top of the table with a comfortable eight-point lead, securing them a place in the Gold Medal final in two weeks' time on December 7th, regardless of Round 6 results next weekend.