Auckland Steel
The Auckland Steel ice hockey organisation was established in 2014. They are one of three founding teams of the NZWIHL, along with the Canterbury Devilettes (now known as the Inferno) and Southern Storm.[1] The Steel are based at Paradice Avondale, located at in the western Auckland suburb of Avondale. Auckland are four times NZWIHL champions and one time NZWIHL premiers.
German coach, Andreas Kaisser, known as Andy, was appointed inaugural head coach of the Auckland Steel ahead of the foundation season of the NZWIHL in 2014. He was joined by Canadian pair Garret Ferguson and Jonathan Albright as his assistants. Philippa Kaisser was appointed the Steel's first general manager (GM).[2] On 29 November 2014, Auckland contested the very first NZWIHL game against the Southern Storm in Auckland. Forward, Hannah Shields, scored the Steel's and the League's inaugural goal after five minutes in the first period to give the home team the lead. Southern tied the game five minutes later but Auckland Steel controlled the game after that and went on to score their maiden win, defeating the Storm 11–4.[3] The Steel turned that good first result into solid form for the remainder of 2014, winning ten of twelve games. This form propelled them to the top of the league standings and the maiden NZWIHL Championship title.[4][5]
Auckland established itself as a powerhouse in the NZWIHL, finishing top the table and winning four Championships in the first six years of the competition, including titles in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019.[6] In 2020, the league brought in a playoff format (Finals). The Steel finished the season on top of the league standings once more, to claim the first ever NZWIHL Premiership title.[7] Auckland went on to lose the first NZWIHL Grand Final to Canterbury Inferno 4–2, claiming silver medals at the post-game medal and trophy ceremony.[8] The 2021 season was incomplete and abandoned following travel restrictions imposed by the New Zealand Government during the COVID-19 pandemic.[9][10] In 2022, the NZWIHL returned to a full season. The Steel finished third in the regular season standings before claiming bronze medals in the NZWIHL Finals.[11] They won their bronze-medal play-off against Dunedin Thunder 5–4, in a tightly contested game.[12]
References
- ↑ "NZWIHL History". New Zealand Women's Ice Hockey League. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230224132220/https://www.nzwihl.com/nzwihl-history/. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
- ↑ "2014 Team Roster". New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation. 29 January 2015. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230225121810/https://stats.iihf.com/NZIHF/7/IHW007000_33_12_0_AKL.pdf. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
- ↑ "NZWIHL Round Robin Game 1 2014". New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation. 29 November 2014. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230225121759/https://stats.iihf.com/NZIHF/7/IHW007901_74A_1_0.pdf. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "NZWIHL Tournament Progress 2014". New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation. 10 March 2015. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230225121840/https://stats.iihf.com/NZIHF/7/IHW007000_76E_14_0.pdf. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "2014 New Zealand Women Ice Hockey League". New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230225121728/https://stats.iihf.com/NZIHF/7/index.html. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "Auckland Steel". New Zealand Women's Ice Hockey League. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230224132220/https://www.nzwihl.com/auckland-steel/. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "NZWIHL Tournament Progress 2020". New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation. 1 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230225121732/https://stats.iihf.com/NZIHF/98/IHW098000_76E_7_0.pdf. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ↑ "New Zealand Women's Hockey League, 2020 Grand Final, 1 November 2020". New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation. 1 November 2020. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230225121731/https://stats.iihf.com/NZIHF/98/IHW098114_74_1_0.pdf. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ↑ "NZIHF COVID-19 Announcement". New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation. 20 August 2021. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230218051446/https://www.nzicehockey.co.nz/nzihf-covid-19-announcement-20-august-2021/. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
- ↑ "NZWIHL Round 2 Cancellation". New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation. 10 November 2021. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230218051546/https://www.nzicehockey.co.nz/nzwihl-round-2-cancellation/. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
- ↑ "NZWIHL Schedule and Results: Season 2022". New Zealand Women's Ice Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221202091752/https://www.nzwihl.com/schedule/?cdate=2022. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ↑ "NZWIHL Bronze Medal Game 2022". New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation. 25 September 2022. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230225121751/https://stats.iihf.com/NZIHF/116/IHW116115_74_1_0.pdf. Retrieved 5 March 2023.