Sammy Banga said he felt "honoured" to be named MVP for the Newcastle Northstars at this week's presentation, but the Canadian import wants to be holding aloft another trophy in eight days time.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The second-placed Northstars host a double header at Hunter Ice Skating Rink across Saturday and Sunday before embarking on a finals campaign at the same venue the following weekend.
Banga, 27, would love to add the Goodall Cup to his collection in 2019 as Australian Ice Hockey League champions.
"The Goodall Cup is the big one," Banga told the Newcastle Herald.
"That's what you play for. The individual awards are nice and I felt very honoured to be named MVP, but at the end of the day you all want the championship trophy."
Banga has clocked up a Northstars-high 56 points, 22 goals and 34 assists, from 26 appearances so far this season.
These numbers rank him equal fourth individually for the national league.
His performance follows a rare bit of time off between campaigns, which saw him "rest and recover" between a half-year stint with the Northstars at the back end of 2018 and starting up again in Newcastle in April.
"It was the first time in my life I hadn't played a North American season," Banga said.
"I went home for seven or eight months, but didn't play at all. I had to stay in good hockey shape because I knew I was coming back to the Northstars, but it gave me a chance to rest and recover.
"It meant I was pretty excited to get back on the ice when this [Aussie] season rolled around again."
Banga, who lives at Charlestown with back-up goalkeeper Charlie Smart and works casually at the Warners Bay rink, hasn't ruled out returning to the Northstars in 2020.
"We'll see what the future holds," he said.
"I've got some big decisions to make in the next few months. I love Australia and would love to come back. I've got to weigh up my career and what I want to do."
In the meantime, Banga and his Newcastle teammates face the fifth-placed Melbourne Mustangs on Saturday (5pm) and last-placed Adelaide Adrenaline on Sunday (4pm) in what he describes as a "tune up" for the play-offs.
Banga wasn't the only Northstars player to score some silverware at Club Macquarie on Wednesday night.
Smart and No.1 shot stopper Dayne Davis picked up Northstars prizes for best Australian and best defensive players respectively. Captain Bert Malloy was adjudged most dedicated and Richie Tesarik most improved. Strength and conditioner Josh Secomb received the coaches award.
