The Dunedin Thunder will host the Mako in back-to-back games.
For rising forward Ian Audas, it is a good opportunity to shake off some dust.
The Thunder’s last competitive game was in mid-June against the Swarm. It bounced back from a 5-1 loss in the first game of the double to win the second 6-4.
The Mako is a development team and the games do not count towards the league. That said, Audas is keen for some time on the ice.
The Thunder is still chasing a spot in the playoffs despite registering just two wins in 10 games.
It has a tough away assignment against nemesis the Stampede in Queenstown next week.
Early next month, the Thunder hosts the Canterbury Red Devils before completing the round-robin phase with a trip to Christchurch for a rematch with the Red Devils.
That gives the games against the Mako tonight and tomorrow a lot more relevance.
"It is good preparation for the games to come and we’ll be able to try out a few different line combinations to see who is playing well together and get some chemistry going," Audas said.
"But also we’ve had a few weeks off, so it will be good to get back up to speed and gear up for the Stampede.
"We still do have a chance at the playoffs, but it is going to be hard for sure.
"The games in Queenstown will definitely be tough.
"But they [the Red Devils] are a team we think we can go up against and get a few wins. But we’ve just got to take it one game at a time and make sure we’re doing all the right things."
The 18-year-old moved to New Zealand from Canada eight years ago and is in his third season with team. His brother, Sam (22), is a goalie for the Thunder.
Ian is part of the leadership group. He is an assistant captain and has been pleased with the progress of the side.
"On an individual level, I could probably be a bit better and contribute to the team’s offence a bit better.
"But, from a team point of view, it has definitely been a good growth year for us. We’ve had a lot of turnover with the roster, but we’ve had younger guys who have stepped up and played super, super well."
