New Zealand will get a good look at an important patch of ice when it plays Finnish club side HC Storm in Dunedin on Friday night.
The Ice Blacks are 2-0 up in a four-game series against the Finns, with game three scheduled for Queenstown on Thursday and the final game for the Dunedin Ice Stadium a day later.
It would normally be a low-key series but the New Zealanders are using it as valuable preparation for the world third division championships in Dunedin from April 10 to 16.
The Ice Blacks will be joined by Turkey, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg and Mongolia for the tournament, which features 15 games across a week.
New Zealand has had 7-5 and 6-3 wins over the Storm, with both games being played in Auckland.
Canterbury rookie Chris Eaden scored a hat trick in the opening game in which the Ice Blacks had 45 shots on goal to the Storm's 29.
Rick Parry had a strong game in net for the Ice Blacks, recording 22 saves.
New Zealand led 1-0 after the first period in the second game and added three goals in the second.
The Ice Blacks then sealed the game with two goals in 60sec in the final period despite being down a man.
In the home net, Zak Nothling started at goaltender and turned away 32 shots on his 20th birthday.
"We have a young, fast, tough team that is hungry to win at this year's world champs in Dunedin," manager Charlie Reid said.
"The guys are looking really impressive."
