Soldiers Win kIHL cup 

The KIHL Cup has a new franchise winner after the Soldiers take down the Dolphins in the KIHL Division 1 Finals Series. 

Game 1 - Dolphins were first to strike after 10 minutes of play through Michael Watts. A short time later Brooklyn Langdon-Poutoa slotting two quick goals past Kaleb Rock on a single shift. A Soldiers miscommunication allowed Sam Beardman walk in alone taking a commanding 4 - 0 lead.

Soldiers would eventually find themselves on the board after 18 minutes of hockey with Jaan Turia tucking one past the Dolphins Keeper. 30 seconds later Soldiers Captain Dion McLean would also score with loose rebound. 

However Max Toa had other plans and managed to tip a Nathan Lovell feed past the Soldiers keeper and taking the Dolphins into the half with a score 5 - 2.

An early second half goal by Jaan Turia with some shorthanded brilliance before Turia and Callum Hawthorne combined to bring the game within one. The Soldiers Power Play then capitalized to lock scores at 5 - 5 through their Captain, before Jaan Turia added his third for a Finals Series Hat-trick and the lead with 7 minutes left.

Toby Webb then answered for the Dolphins striking back to draw scores at 6 - 6 before Soldiers Joel Ashworth responded with a goal of his own taking the lead 7 - 6.

Dolphins then pulled their Goalkeeper to add an extra man and unfortunately conceded an empty net goal with the Soldiers taking Game 1.

Game 2 - Like game 1 the opening sequence was fairly even with both teams trading possession and testing goalies before the Soldiers strike through Callum Hawthorne. However the Dolphins response was swift with Josh McMaster having the answer. 

The last 2 minutes of the half seen Dane Hill and Jaan Turia add goals with the Soldiers taking a 3 - 1 halftime lead. 

Soldiers also first to strike only 30 seconds into the half with a Callum Hawthorne snipe followed a few minutes later by Jaan Turia walking straight down the middle and going top shelf and giving the Soldiers a 5 - 1 lead.

Dolphins Tim Mckay and Toby Webb both managed to find the back of the net and closing the lead before Callum Hawthorne added his third for a Finals Series Hat-trick. Soldiers lead 6 - 3.

However the Dolphins weren't done with Josh McMaster finding a Dolphins 4th goal and Michael Watts bring it within one (6 -5) with 2.25 left to play.

Both teams were then battling for possession not allowing the Dolphins Keeper to leave the crease before a stoppage in play with 22 seconds the Dolphins use their timeout..... it would only take 7 seconds for the Dolphins to get the puck in the net and draw Level 6 - 6 with 14 seconds left.

Soldiers Captain Dion McLean then found himself in the final seconds of the game taking a slap shot from the top of the circles to score the game winner.....

An immediate appeal by the Dolphins (for a post) while the Soldiers rushed their Captain in celebration of scoring the winner....

After some deliberation the officials agreed with their initial call of a goal.

SOLDIERS WIN 

Jaan Turia named 2024 KIHL Finals Series Most Valuable Player. 

Soldiers Captain Dion McLean receives the KIHL Cup from KIHL Co-founder Arden Phillips.