Black Sticks blast past Canada with conquering third quarter
GOLD COAST: A powerhouse thirdquarter effort has seen the Black Sticks past Canada 62 in their Commonwealth Games men’s hockey pool opener.
Ahead 10 at halftime, New Zealand piled on four goals in the third period, with the likes of Nic Woods and Kane Russell running the show.
The Kiwis will head into their second poolplay match against South Africa tomorrow with their tails in the air.
Coach Darren Smith was most pleased with his side’s creativity.
‘‘I was really happy with how we accumulated . . . and we played some good hockey; we also left a few opportunities on the park through some solid attacking play,’’ he said.
Enjoying plenty of firstquarter possession, the Sticks failed to break down a committed Canadian rearguard, with Dominic Newman and Hugo Inglis wasting chances and Cory Bennett hitting the post.
The second quarter followed a similar pattern, as Stephen Jenness failed to flick home at the near post and Russell squandered a penalty corner.
New Zealand’s breakthrough came four minutes from the break.
Earning a penalty corner, Woods received the ball and slid on to Russell, who belted home in the topleft corner and put his side up.
Enjoying all the possession and chances, the Sticks piled on a quartet of goals in the third quarter through Woods, George Muir, Dane Lett and Jenness — the latter unleashing a thunderbolt high into the net.
In the fourth quarter, the Canucks pinched one back via a wellworked penalty corner through James Kirkpatrick but it made little difference.
Muir and Jenness missed golden chances before a late goal to each outfit — via Kiwi Inglis and Canadian Gordon Johnston — maintained the final fourgoal Kiwi victory.
‘‘We now focus on our next game against South Africa and we know they will come ready to rock, you can guarantee it,’’ Smith said.
The Black Sticks Women have routed their second successive pool opponent, downing Ghana 120.
AHaving thumped Scotland 61 on Thursday, the Sticks were even less forgiving against the Ghanaians.
They raced out to a 40 halftime lead through Madi Doar, Kelsey Smith, Sam Charlton and Shiloh Gloyn goals.
In the third quarter, that lead only widened through Stacey Michelsen and Olivia Merry tapins, the former following a video referee’s check.
Samantha Harrison then got in on the act just before threequarter time, followed by an Anita McLaren treble and Doar double in the final period.
The 18yearold Doar finished with an impressive hattrick from four shots on goal, while New Zealand managed an overall 34 shots to Ghana’s two.
McLaren, meanwhile, shook off a leg complaint to play with her usual energy, bringing up her 100th goal in a black singlet. The Sticks will next face Canada tomorrow, followed by rivals Australia. — NZN