Ice Hockey: Hutchins - We must find killer touch

Published on Monday 7 December 2009 08:43

JEFF HUTCHINS celebrated snapping a two-game losing streak which keeps Edinburgh Capitals in sixth place in the Elite League but today warned: "We can't keep throwing away leads."

Capitals arrived home at Murrayfield yesterday after a gruelling weekend which saw them lose 8-2 at Belfast on Friday and 5-2 at Cardiff on Saturday.

The fixture compilers had certainly not been kind to Capitals but they bounced back last night, beating Hull Stingrays 7-4. Hutchins opened the scoring and added another in the win over rock-bottom Stingrays which produced seven goals in an exciting opening.

Capitals took a 4-1 lead after only 12 minutes with Mark Garside scoring and a double from Owen Fussey, but they were pegged to 4-3 five minutes later.

And there were some nervy moments before Simon Lambert scored and Great Britain international forward Garside made sure with an empty-net strike with 30 seconds remaining. Hutchins said: "That was hard work. We let them back into the game. We've done that several times recently and we have to stop. We must learn to kill teams off."

Hutchins believes it is a bad habit which could cost Capitals dear as they bid to secure a place inside the top six this season.

On the positive side, Capitals scored seven goals, three of them on power plays, and outshot Hull 39-34 in a nerve-tingling game which provided great entertainment for the 660 fans.

What's more, Capitals achieved the welcome win minus consistent defenceman Michael Beynon who is sidelined for two weeks with an undisclosed injury.

The team were notably tired following a gruelling three days of travel. Hutchison and his bruised and battered team-mates now have until Saturday to rest and prepare for the visit of league champions Sheffield Steelers who edged fifth-placed Newcastle Vipers 5-4 after a penalty shootout last night. Belfast Giants, who sit in second spot in the eight-strong league, one point behind leaders Coventry Blaze – who beat third-placed Nottingham Panthers 6-4 in The Skydome last night – visit on Sunday.

It will be another tough weekend with Capitals looking to make home advantage count and Hutchins, who came to Capitals after being cut by Steelers, said: "It's a game I want to win. Belfast have been here once and we played them in the Challenge Cup. They beat us and they also beat us over there last Friday.

"They have our number and we'll be looking to use our home ice to earn some points. Our home form has been good recently and we want to keep that run going."

Doug Christiansen, Capitals' director of hockey, was full of praise for his men who now have 16 points from 18 games, the same points as Sheffield who have played two more fixtures.

Hull have 10 points from 22 games and Christiansen said: "We've had some adversity this weekend and the guys can be proud of their performance against Hull. Apart from a five-minute spell in the first period, we controlled the game. In Belfast, Giants were the better team on the night.

"In Cardiff, I confronted a referee for the first time in my life. Cardiff are a physical side. We battled hard and were 2-2 at one stage but, in the later stages of the third period, the wheels fell off.

"I spoke to the referee and said that it was his job to protect players. It is their livelihood he must protect and I think he was irresponsible."