10/09/2026
Records were broken. Legends reached new milestones. New fans packed into arenas. 🔥
One of the most remarkable playoff comebacks in recent memory unfolded in Dunedin. And after three nights in Queenstown, the Birgel Cup was once again lifted by the SkyCity Stampede.
The 2026 New Zealand Ice Hockey League season delivered plenty to remember across the competition.
From the opening puck drop in May to the final horn in August, these were some of the memorable moments and stories that happened in the 2026 NZIHL season! 📈
Thunder and Stampede set the tone on opening weekend 🌩️🐂
It was fitting that the first weekend of the regular season featured the same two teams that would eventually meet for the Birgel Cup
The four regular season meetings between the Otago rivals would eventually finish two wins apiece.
📸 Andrew MacKay
Chris Eaden reaches 500 career points! 📈
Few players have left a mark on the NZIHL quite like Chris Eaden
In May, the long-time New Zealand international became the first player in league history to reach 500 career points 🙌
📸 Buzzy Media
Alex Gagnon rewrites the single-season scoring record!
If there was one player who could not stop scoring in 2026, it was Alex Gagnon 🙌
The Canterbury Red Devils forward produced a remarkable debut NZIHL campaign, scoring 31 goals in just 16 regular season games
No player had ever scored more in a single NZIHL season 🤯
📸 James Allan
Joel Gerard goes undefeated in the regular season! 🥅
Gerard made 8 appearances and won all 8!
His perfect 8-0 record, along with a 2.87 goals-against average and .912 save percentage, earned him the 2026 NZIHL Best Goaltender award 🥇
📸 James Allan
Canterbury grabs the final playoff spot 👹
With one weekend remaining in the regular season, the final playoff position was still there to be won
And conveniently, the two teams fighting for it were about to play each other!🔥
Canterbury entered their final series against the Botany Swarm with 16 points from 14 games. Botany had 12.
Two games at The Hive would decide who kept playing into August
📸 Buzzy Media
A new audience discovers New Zealand ice hockey
The continue