The Stampede has returned to the top of the standings and the Queenstown-based team plans to stay there.
It has back-to-back games against the Botany Swarm in Auckland this weekend and will round out the regulation season with away games against the Canterbury Red Devils in Christchurch early next month.
Based on form, the Stampede should emerge with four wins and secure a home venue for the final against the West Auckland Admirals. That is certainly plan A, coach Adam Blanchette said.
"It is pretty important we don’t get too far ahead of ourselves," he said.
"We’ve got four games remaining and we are approaching every game we play as the biggest game of the season."
The Stampede hopes to secure the title for a third consecutive season and its two wins against the Admirals last weekend has boosted its prospects.
The format for the final is a best-of-three series and the top qualifier secures home advantage for games two and three. The Dunedin Thunder is out of contention but the team hopes to finish its campaign strongly.
It hosts the Red Devils in back-to-back games this weekend and will travel north to play the Admirals next weekend to complete its season.
"I don’t think it is about rescuing something from the season because we have made good strides," coach Matt Hladun said.
"But what we are focused on is having a good finish because we still have lots to prove out there.
"It is not where you want to be at the end of the season. But knowing where we came from to where we are now ... we’re definitely stronger."
The Thunder has provided the Ice Blacks with five players and Hladun said there were good building blocks for next year.
"That definitely suggests that our Kiwi talent pool is getting stronger and stronger."
