Ice hockey – D’Orazio calls for action replay

Edinburgh Capitals co-coach Mike D’Orazio remembers how well the squad played when they edged Belfast Giants 6-4 in the Challenge Cup at The Odyssey earlier this season.

The Murrayfield men also pushed Giants in a 6-5 defeat in Edinburgh in the same competition.

D’Orazio wants that application and effort when Capitals aim to snap a nine-game losing streak when they visit high-flying Giants on Friday (7pm).

It’s the club’s first visit to Northern Ireland in the Elite League this season, but second-placed Belfast already hold two wins over the Scots this season at Murrayfield.

They won 4-3 on their first visit and 6-3 in Scotland’s Capitals last Saturday.

A total of 31 points separate the teams in the 12-strong table with Giants on 37 points from 28 fixtures and Capitals on six points from 27 games so far this season.

Co-coaches Jock Hay and D’Orazio were heartened by the form of back-up netminder Jordan McLaughlin in the 3-1 home defeat by Braehead Clan on Wednesday.

And the back-up will start again as Pavel Shegalo is injured and D’Orazio said: “Jordan make big saves when we needed them on Wednesday.

“He kept us in the game and he’ll again be in the side on Friday and we remain positive.

“We held Braehead to 22 shots on Wednesday and I believe we played well in the game.

“It’s a long trip but we still have the nucleus of the team which won there earlier in the season.”