It doesn't matter if he's playing ice hockey or a board game - Canberra Brave forward Brian Bales always wants to win.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
He once delivered Newcastle a Goodall Cup but now Bales is determined to shatter the Northstars' season and book his own ticket to the Australian Ice Hockey League finals on Saturday.
Bales is one of four former Northstars on Canberra's books alongside forward Geordie Wudrick, alternate captain Jan Safar and coach Rob Starke.
The Brave sit third in the ladder and are looking to sew up a finals berth on the road when they face Newcastle and the Sydney Ice Dogs this weekend.
USA-born stalwart Bales says facing his former club for the first time made for a strange experience earlier this season.
"I wouldn't say I had nerves but it was just different not being in the same locker room, and sitting on a different bench, so it was definitely a different kind of sense," Bales said.
"I had a lot of good experiences at Newcastle, but it doesn't matter if I'm playing a board game or a hockey game - I always want to win.
"We need to get a win in the game because that ensures us a spot in the finals so we will have to remain focused."
The 32-year-old donned Newcastle's red and blue for five years, while Wudrick and Safar spent just one season in the Hunter before joining Canberra.
But the Brave's clash with the Northstars is sure to hold more meaning for Starke, who played 281 games and won four Goodall Cups in 12 years in Newcastle.
Starke rode off into the sunset after captaining the Northstars to the Cup in 2015, and then inked a deal with the Brave as head coach this season to pour fuel on the burning rivalry.
The Brave hold the edge over Newcastle in three games this season but Starke is well-aware of the threat the sixth-placed Northstars pose at home.
"Newcastle plays very strong at home," Starke said.
"We will have to focus on playing some brave hockey and we will have to have the work ethic to compete."
Former NHL draftee Wudrick is one of the league's biggest threats on goal and was named the league's most valuable player in 2015.
The 27-year-old also broke the AIHL record for most points scored in a regular season when he netted 96 points in 30 games.
The Brave will round out the weekend against the Sydney Ice Dogs on Sunday.
AUSTRALIAN ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE
Saturday: Newcastle Northstars v Canberra Brave at Hunter Ice Skating Stadium, 5:00pm.
Sunday: Sydney Ice Dogs v Canberra Brave at Macquarie Ice Rink, 5:00pm.
