Interim Canberra Brave coach Josh Unice is refusing to give up on his team's playoff aspirations in the Australian Ice Hockey League despite a mid-season coaching change.
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Unice has taken over the reigns from Brad Hunt for the rest of the season, starting with Saturday night's game with the Sydney Bears at the Phillip Swimming and Ice Skating Centre.
The Brave parted ways with Hunt this week with the team sitting sixth in the standings after reaching the play-offs last year.
Hunt declined to comment.
Unice will step aside as the Brave's goalkeeper to put all of his energy into helping the team to the playoffs.
"I wouldn't have taken the coaching role if I felt that the season was over, there wouldn't be a point," Unice said.
"You look at our schedule [and we're still a chance].
"The last seven games of the year will decide who makes the play-offs, this is crunch time."
Hunt was sacked in his first season as the Brave's head coach with a record of 10 wins (two in overtime) and 11 losses (two in overtime).
The 26-year-old was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2007 NHL Draft and has played professionally in Canada, Slovakia and England.
"I've had the luck to play under some great coaches in my career," he said.
"Pretty much every coach I've had since I was 15, 16 years old has gone to the NHL or represented Canada in some form.
"Coaching has always been something that has excited me and something I've loved to do in the off-season.
"Luckily, the Brave management believe in me enough to give me the opportunity to do it for the rest of the season."
Unice hasn't played for the past two weeks after suffering a concussion in the game against Newcastle.
He will concentrate on coaching, with impressive youngster Aleksi Toivonen stepping up as the team's first-choice goal-keeper.
"I've gone from being a background leader to being the face and the voice of the team," Unice said.
"I'm supposed to lead the team publicly and behind closed doors.
"It's something I like to think that we have a lot of leaders in the room and I don't think me stepping in as coach is going to make a huge wave in the team's dynamic."
Defender Aaron Clayworth has moved into an assistant coaching role alongside Unice.
SATURDAY: Australian Ice Hockey League: Canberra Brave v Sydney Bears at the Phillip Swimming and Ice Skating Centre, 5.30pm.
