Premier Hockey League’s Double Header Weekend – Round 2 & 3
This weekend was jam-packed with action as we saw the first Double Header of the League take place across the weekend, in both Hamilton and Auckland.Across both venues, teams delivered fast-paced, high-intensity hockey, with moments of brilliance, momentum-shifting drama, and even a bit of history made along the way.
The Mavericks and Alpiners men kicked off the weekend with a charged contest. Both sides applied an aggressive, back-and-forth press, but the standout players were unquestionably the goalkeepers, whose sharp work kept the score locked in the first half. The deadlock broke in the 38th minute with Patrick Ward’s beautifully placed strike into the corner. Moments later, a threaded pass from Finn Ward found George Baker, who deflected the ball into the net and secured his conversion, extending the lead to 3–0. The Mavericks briefly fought back through Jordan Whittleston, but Finn Ward sealed the 4–1 victory for the Alpiners.
Saturday’s second men’s clash saw the Tridents take on the Falcons in a historic encounter, with the biggest game goal difference in the Premier Hockey League so far with the Tridents scoring 9 goals to 0. The game started relatively cautious and even, with both teams creating chances but remaining scoreless. The Falcons’ new addition this year and former Olympian, Jake Smith, made brave defensive interventions to keep the Tridents at bay. However, after the half-time break, the Tridents returned with more determination and grit, exploding into a dominant second-half display. Charles Ulrich opened the scoring early in the third quarter with a penalty corner drag flick, followed by goals from debutant James Stables and seasoned team mate, Robbie Capizzi. The Falcons pushed for a response, but Hayden Ganley stood firm in their way. Zander Fraser and Ulrich added further goals before Liam Mortimer slotted home the final strike.
The women’s opening match saw the Mavericks take on the Alpiners women. The scoring opened in the second quarter when Deanna Ritchie struck past Alpiner goalkeeper Kirsty Nation and skillfully converted, giving the Mavericks a 2–0 lead at halftime. Early in the second half, a counterattack from Ruby Baker set up Lucy Russ, who rocketed the ball into the net to extend the lead to 3–0. The Mavericks continued to dominate, registering 24 goal-scoring opportunities, but Kirsty Nation stood firm with several crucial saves, including a remarkable double stop. Despite the Alpiners’ determined efforts, they were unable to score, and the Mavericks secured a 3–0 victory.
Saturday’s final women’s match saw the Tridents face off against the Falcons in a tightly contested game. Early opportunities went both ways, including a strong save from Falcons’ goalkeeper Julia Gluyas on Holly Pearson’s shot. The tie was broken at 10 minutes when Kaitlin Cotter swept in a penalty corner, with a deflection off Kiri Wairau-Hunter giving the Falcons a 1–0 lead. The Tridents pushed hard in the second half, with Pearson breaking away near the end and two penalty corners adding pressure, but Gluyas held firm to secure a narrow 1–0 victory.
Round 3 of the Premier Hockey League kicked off on Sunday in Auckland with a high-scoring clash between the Tridents and Alpiners men. Sam Lane opened the scoring early from a penalty corner, but the Tridents hit back through Luke Holmes. Aiden Fraser then converted a stroke to give the Tridents the lead, but only for Lane to respond with two quick goals, completing a first-half hat-trick and pushing the Alpiners ahead. It didn’t take long for the match to level up again with James Stables’ deflection resulting in 3–3 at halftime. Lane struck once more in the third quarter, pouncing on a rebound and adding his conversion to promote the Alpiners 5–3. The Tridents pressed hard late, including a powerful effort from Fraser that forced a superb save from Louis Becket and a final series of penalty corners they couldn’t convert. A special mention goes to Alpiners captain Sam Lane, who scored all five of his team’s goals, a remarkable display of leadership and composure in key moments.
The Hamilton hosts, the Mavericks, took on the Falcons men next, and the Mavs came out firing from the whistle. Falcons goalkeeper Luke Elmes was tested early and often, with the Falcons struggling to advance into Mavericks territory. Elmes’ sharp work denied multiple chances and sent the teams into halftime locked at 0–0. Both sides returned with renewed intensity, turning the match increasingly physical as the hunt for a breakthrough grew. Elmes again stood tall in the third quarter, saving a crucial penalty corner, but the tie finally broke in the fourth when a stick hack awarded the Mavericks a stroke. Paul Doesch converted and added his conversion, securing a 2–0 win for the home side.
In Auckland, the Tridents and Alpiners women followed with a tight Round 3 contest, where both sides produced chances but struggled to convert. The Tridents dominated early with a string of opportunities and a penalty corner late in the first quarter, while at the other end, Brodie Cochrane stood strong in goal to deny the Alpiners’ own set-piece chances. The match remained tense through the second and third quarters as opportunities flowed but the scoreboard stayed untouched. With just over five minutes left in the final period, Liz Thompson finally broke the deadlock with a calm, composed finish before flicking in her conversion. The Tridents held firm to claim their first win of the season.
The closing match on Sunday saw the defending champions, the Falcons, chase a fourth straight round-robin win against the Mavericks women. Their penalty-corner precision was on full display, striking in the opening minutes as Hope Ralph dived to deflect in a well-worked sweep. The momentum continued into the second quarter with Riana Pho converting another set piece for a 2–0 halftime lead. Five minutes into the second half, Zoe Teikamata answered for the Mavericks, firing a bullet past Kate Fraser and nailing the conversion to level the match at 2–2, injecting new life into the home team. But just a minute into the final quarter, Pho struck again off yet another penalty corner, her second of the match, securing a 3–2 victory and extending the Falcons’ unbeaten run.