It is fast developing as one of the Australian Ice Hockey League's most heated rivalries, and the Canberra Brave now have a pair of Newcastle greats on their side.
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The North Stars have broken Brave hearts over the past two years after beating Canberra in last year's grand final to back up the semi-final thriller in 2015.
The next instalment is shaping up as a pearler with the Brave heading to Newcastle to play at the Hunter Ice Skating Stadium at 5pm on Sunday.
But now the Brave are using some of Newcastle's finest to get the edge, having called on North Stars legend Rob Starke to coach Canberra this season.
A four-time Goodall Cup champion that captained Newcastle to glory, Montreal-born Starke has swapped red and blue for navy and gold as the Brave look to make history.
"Obviously there'll be a lot of mixed emotions returning to Newcastle," Starke said.
"We have a few former Newcastle North Stars on the team and I'm sure it will be a very emotional and very tense contest."
Starke represented his adopted home nation Australia 15 times and captained the national side in 2009 - he's just the sort of man Canberra need in their corner.
With him is another former North Star and arguably the AIHL's best player in Geordie Wudrick, who was snared by the Brave ahead of the 2016 season.
The former NHL draftee is one of the league's biggest threats on goal and the 2015 league MVP could go to another level with his old captain steering the ship.
