Southern Stampede captain Bert Haines says his team is rested and raring to go for game one of the national league finals against Canterbury in Christchurch this afternoon.
The Stampede, chasing its third national title and first since 2006, finished the regular season atop the standings with 15 wins from 16 games.
Its sole loss came against the three-time defending champion Red Devils, the last time the sides met in Christchurch, last month.
However, the Stampede enjoyed a bye last weekend and has a rested and fully healthy squad available this afternoon.
''We enjoyed having a bit of extra time up our sleeves, but now we're all focused and ready to do our jobs,'' Haines said.
The Stampede skipper is the only surviving player from the team's two national title-winning seasons (2005-06), and said it was important his team did not fall behind early, as it has done in its previous clashes with the Red Devils this season.
''Our focus is to not give up that early goal ... just to play our style of hockey off the bat,'' he said.
''Not necessarily worry about what they are doing, but more look after our goal and our own play. Everything should fall into place from there.''
The Stampede, which flew to Christchurch yesterday afternoon, has prolific scorers Jade Portwood and Matthew Schneider, who have both scored 22 goals this season, at its disposal.
But the Red Devils have a sharpshooter of their own in Dean Tonks, who has also scored 22 goals this season.
Haines said his team had been working on playing with high intensity at training during the week, and believes the Stampede will be fine if it sticks to what it has done all year.
''Compete, high intensity, winning battles, not going in soft to any of the impact zones,'' he said.
''Making sure we are going in hard-nosed and ready to do our work and battle hard for pucks. That's just it. We know what works for us and if we can execute what we have been training to be doing, we can definitely look to see success with that.''
The Stampede will host game two in Queenstown next Friday and game three (if required) the following day.
Stampede v Red Devils
Christchurch, today, 4.30pm
• Championships: Stampede two (2005, 2006), Red Devils four (2009, 2012, 2013, 2014).
• Regular-season record: Stampede 15-1, Red Devils 10-6.
• Head to head: Stampede 3-1.
• Goals scored: Stampede 112, Red Devils 98.
• Goals against: Stampede 55, Red Devils 64.
• Leading Stampede goal-scorers: Jade Portwood (22), Matthew Schneider (22), Greg Collins (15).
• Leading Red Devil goal-scorers: Dean Tonks (22), Chris Eaden (19).
