Canberra Brave captain Mark Rummukainen said his team would maintain its hard-nosed approach after emerging triumphant in a fiery encounter with the Melbourne Ice.
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Players from both teams spent plenty of time in the penalty box before a fight broke out at full-time in the Brave's 3-1 victory at the Phillip Ice Skating Rink on Saturday night.
"We f***ing hate them," Rummukainen said.
"Off the ice we're all mates, but on the ice there's no love lost.
"They've got some guys who ... we're not going to put up with the s*** really and they do the same to us.
"It's all part of the game, I'm going to have a beer with them now."
Scott Pitt scored a double, Canadian import Stephen Blunden fired home the other one plus two assists and goalkeeper Josh Unice had another blinder to knock off last year's beaten grand finalists.
It was the Brave's sixth win (five in regulation, one in overtime) from 10 games this season to move it back into the top four in the Australian Ice Hockey League.
"The boys are on a bit of a run and we're making it tough for opposition teams on our home rink," Rummukainen said.
The Brave started the scoring in the opening period when Pitt found the net with the assist from Stephen Blunden and Kyle Mariani.
Blunden was again in the thick of the action in the second stanza as Pitt doubled the advantage with Jimmy Byers also involved in the goal.
The Brave's 2-0 lead was quickly reduced as the Ice got on the board early in the third before Blunden restored the two-goal gap.
Liam Webster had a penalty shot for the Ice with 49 seconds on the clock, but he pushed his shot wide to the delight of the home crowd.
The Brave will aim to make it a perfect weekend with game two against the Ice on Sunday at 5pm.
Australian Ice Hockey League: Canberra Brave 3 bt Melbourne Ice 1 at the Phillip Ice Skating Rink on Saturday night.