The ice hockey series between invitational Canadian and United States teams will reach its conclusion tomorrow night, when the teams square off in the final of the three-match series at the Dunedin Ice Stadium.
It is the first time an ice hockey series of this magnitude has been brought to New Zealand, and so far crowds of 14,000 and 9000 have attended the first two games, in Auckland and Christchurch.
Promoter Craig Douglas said both sides were excited to be here, and were keen to show world-class ice hockey to a part of the world where they had never played before.
Douglas said both teams had put on a good show in the two previous games and were getting better with each game.
"Dunedin is really in for a treat," he said.
Douglas added there would be plenty of physical stuff in the game.
"It is not showmanship. It is real aggression.
"If a player has a score to settle, they will do it on the ice."
The players had an intense rivalry and they would not be holding back, he said.
American player Bates Battaglia said the players would be giving it their all when they got on the ice in Dunedin.
"It is the toughest game on earth," he said.
The 35-year-old is in his 15th year of professional ice hockey.
He is currently a free agent after playing in the National Hockey League for the Carolina Hurricanes, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Colorado Avalanche.
Canada has won both previous games, 5-4 in Auckland and 7-3 in Christchurch. This means the US will have to win by five goals to square the series.
Both teams spent yesterday doing activities in Queenstown and will arrive in Dunedin today.
Battaglia said it was an amazing place. He had completed a bungy jump and it was an "amazing adrenaline rush".
The Dunedin match is sold out, with a crowd of 3500 attending.
The puck drops at 6.45pm.
