Star in shootout, win the league, then retire
Abirthday boy and a retiring veteran combined to give the Capital men a tense shootout victory in their National League Hockey final.
Capital beat North Harbour 3-2 in the shootout after the match had finished 1-1 at the National Hockey Stadium in Wellington yesterday.
Benedict van Woerkom scored his sudden death attempt to help celebrate his 26th birthday, before 38-year-old goalkeeper Kyle Pontifex bid farewell to the NHL by stopping Kalyan Jeram’s attempt, sparking wild celebrations with his team-mates.
The teams could not be separated at 2-2 after five attempts each during the shootout.
Pontifex had earlier saved two attempts in the shootout, as well as a penalty stroke from Cory Bennett after he was adjudged to have fouled Jeram during his team’s third attempt.
‘‘Going into the shootout it’s all on the line, so it was nice to get a few saves,’’ Pontifex said.
Pontifex was also in goal during Capital’s last NHL win in 2015, when he also produced a save in a shoot-out to earn his side the Challenge Shield.
He said this final winner’s medal would be his last.
‘‘It’s time to call it a day, but I wanted to have one last crack at NHL and go out like this. That’s definitely the last one.’’
During the tournament, Capital made a habit of late drama, including two goals in the final 60 seconds of their 2-1 semifinal win over Auckland on Saturday, but looked to have bucked that trend when Sebastian Buddle scored a field goal in just the third minute of the final.
Capital held that lead until three minutes from time, when Harbour, who had pulled their goalkeeper, got the equaliser thanks to a close-range field goal from Jeram.
Neither side could create another chance in the final three minutes, meaning the final would be decided in a shootout.
Earlier, North Harbour won the women’s final, beating Central 2-0 to lift the K Cup for the first time since 2010.
Harbour captain Petrea Webster said it was a special feeling to finally get another K Cup win – it was Harbour’s first in eight years. ‘‘I haven’t been in a K Cup final since 2010, so it feels bloody good to get our hands back on the cup.’’