The 2025 New Zealand Women’s Ice Hockey League (NZWIHL) season came to an electrifying close in Dunedin over the weekend, with the Auckland Steel edging out the Canterbury Inferno 2-1 in a gripping gold medal match to be crowned national champions – their third Goulding Cup victory in three years.

In a final that could have gone either way, both teams delivered a showcase of intensity, structure, and determination. Auckland opened the scoring midway through the first period, capitalising on a power play opportunity, and followed it up with a late goal to extend their lead to 2:0. Canterbury responded with relentless pressure and equalised early in the second, setting the stage for a tense battle.

The final minutes of the third period had fans in attendance and those watching on the livestream at the edge of their seats. A late penalty by the Steel saw the Inferno go on a powerplay, followed by a 90 seconds of 6 on 5 with the Inferno having pulled their goaltender. Unfortunately for the Inferno, the Steel’s defence held strong resulting in their win.

This year’s NZWIHL season marked a historic first for the league, with a full home-and-away round robin schedule rolled out across the country thanks to new funding support from Ice Hockey New Zealand. The format gave fans in all regions the chance to witness elite women’s hockey live, contributing to record crowd numbers and increased national exposure for the sport.

The weekend also celebrated individual excellence across the league. With the 2025 league awards handed out as follows:

League MVP: Sierra Morgulis (Canterbury Inferno)

Top Points Scorer: Kellye Nelson (Wakatipu Wild)

Most Sportswomanlike Player: Kate Vernal (Dunedin Thunder Women)

Best Defence: Brooke Patron (Auckland Steel)

Best Forward: Caitlin-Judith Heale (Wakatipu Wild)

Top Goaltender: Sierra Morgulis (Canterbury Inferno)

Under-18 MVP: Lucy Thomas (Dunedin Thunder Women)

Each team also named their most valuable player for the season:

Auckland Steel: Jaime Jones

Canterbury Inferno: Stephanie Koviessen

Dunedin Thunder Women: Lea Mullender

Wakatipu Wild: Kellye Nelson

The 2025 NZWIHL season set a new benchmark for women’s ice hockey in New Zealand, both in competitiveness and community support. With momentum building and a strong foundation now in place, the future of the league looks brighter than ever.