Elite League: Braehead Clan 7, Edinburgh Capitals 2
Evergreen Canadian forward Brendan Brooks claimed a glory treble as Braehead Clan gained an edge in the race for the final play-off spot.
They comfortably disposed of bottom club Edinburgh Capitals 7-2 in Glasgow despite going behind after only 52 seconds.
Four unanswered goals between the 12th and 22nd minute steadied the ship against a side who have lost their last six games.
And Clan’s victory moved them onto 47 points, three points ahead of play-off rivals Dundee Stars who are currently tenth in the table.
The West of Scotland club now also lead ninth-placed Coventry Blaze by two points with both teams having played 50 fixtures.
Stars have iced in 48 games and are on a roll having won their last three league fixtures.
It was Mike Cazzola who shocked the Purple Army when he opened the score in the first minute, catching Clan cold.
Former Fife Flyers star Brooks levelled after 12 minutes and Adam Brace made it 2-1 for the home side less than two minutes later.
Michal Gutwald on the power play boosted the home side’s total with 44 seconds left of the opening session.
Landon Oslanski made it 4-1 only 1min 16sec into the middle period only for Dillon Lawrence to pull one back after three minutes.
Then Clan made sure with three straight goals. Cameron Burt scored after 30 minutes and 39-year-old Brooks netted his second two minutes after that.
And battling Brooks’ power play strike after 42 minutes made it 7-2 leaving the Edinburgh side with only five wins in 50 league games so far this season.
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