Taylor MacDougall sits out Edinburgh Capitals visit to Braehead Clan on Saturday night because of a shoulder injury.
The absence of the lanky forward is a blow for coach Michal Dobron who is pushing for a play-off slot.
Both clubs come into the clash after back-to-back defeats and Clan hold the upper hand on games between the sides this term.
They have won three of the four Elite League meetings and the statistics include a 3-2 victory in the only trip Capitals have made to Glasgow so far this season.
Capitals now have 19 points from 29 fixtures and prop up the ten-strong league table while Clan are sixth with 32 points from the same number of games.
The Edinburgh club are chasing Coventry Blaze who are in the eighth and final play-off spot and they have 26 points from 32 games.
Clan star Matt Keith has a major incentive as he requires only two assists to reach 100 in all Elite League competitions and indications are that Braehead will be roared on by another huge crowd.
Dobron was heartened by the display from his men in the 5-2 defeat at high-flying Sheffield Steelers on Wednesday.
He said: “We played much better than we did in Dundee but we didn’t score when we had chances but I am looking for four points from this weekend.
“We visit Braehead and then have Fife here in Edinburgh (on Sunday) and we have to look at our mistakes and I hope we learn from them.”
The Czech Republic-born defenceman remains up-beat about Capitals chances of making the play-offs.
And he said: “This is a very important weekend for us and I think we miss only one guy and we still believe we can qualify for the play-offs.”
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