Ice hockey – Capitals in firing line

Brendan Brooks yesterday told his misfiring squad: “Beat Edinburgh and end this losing run.”

The former Fife Flyers star was gutted when the Kirkcaldy club whipped them 7-1 at Braehead last Saturday.

That took the losing streak to four games.

On Saturday (7pm), Clan entertain Capitals in the Elite League and the visitors come into the clash after back-to-back wins over Dundee Stars.

Brooks, Clan’s assistant coach, said: “Anything that could have gone wrong for us last Saturday did.

“The first four or five shifts, we looked full of life and had good chances.

“When Fife scored their first one, it took the wind out of our sails. Then they got the second and you feel everything drop a bit.”

He added: “We owe the fans and ourselves one on Saturday.
“Edinburgh are a better team than last season. The whole league has improved as a whole so every game is one you have to be ready to play. ”

Elsewhere, Fife Flyers travel to Belfast Giants in the Challenge Cup, Group B, and Jeff Hutchins, Fife’s assistant coach, said this was not a dead rubber.

Fife have already qualified for the next stage but Hutchins said: “We want points in Belfast so we can top the qualifying group and get a second-placed team in the next round.”

Giants will ice Matt Bissonnette who was signed from Manchester Storm in midweek and the 6ft 4in comes in as Giants aim to secure a quarter-final place with a win over the Flyers.

Bissonnette’s addition to the Giants comes at an ideal time with the Belfast side hit by injuries that has seen the team playing short-benched in recent games.

Bottom club Dundee Stars visit early league pace-setters Manchester Storm and coach Omar Pacha will ice debutant forward Brian Hart, a former National Hockey League draft pick.