Ice Hockey: Michael Beynon up for extinguishing hot Blaze in double header

Published on Friday 20 November 2009 10:14

MICHAEL BEYNON has been Mr Consistency for Edinburgh Capitals so far this season, but he is one of the reasons why the Murrayfield men continue to gain a higher profile among the Elite League ice hockey clubs.

The 6ft 3in defenceman may have missed two penalty shots in Sunday's thriller with Sheffield Steelers but he has already put that behind him and the Canadian is already looking forward to squaring up to another powerhouse of the British game, Coventry Blaze, back-to-back this weekend. It is Capitals' first clash with the men from The Skydome and Paul Thompson's side are currently riding high in the league table with 24 points from 15 matches, a record that includes 12 wins and only three defeats.

The Midlands outfit, who sit in second place, two points adrift of pace-setting Nottingham Panthers with five games in hand, have scored 55 goals – the fourth highest total – but have been really mean at the back. So far, only 32 goals have hit their rigging, the lowest total in the eight-strong division.

Capitals are sixth with ten points from 12 starts gained from four wins and eight defeats. Doug Christiansen's under-strength side have scored 40 goals and let in 45 and Beynon will undoubtedly have a key role to play once again.

The first game is at Coventry tomorrow and the 26-year-old admitted to having only seen Blaze play during the 20-20 Festival held earlier this season.

"I've not watched them on TV but Coventry back-to-back will be tough," admitted the Ontario-born blue-liner, who arrived at Murrayfield after four years with Union College and spells with Idaho Steelheads, Las Vegas Wranglers and New Mexico Scorpion, for whom he iced in 48 games last season, scoring six goals and assisting on 12 others.

He added: "Everybody on this team wants to show what they can do against the best teams in this country.

"Coventry are one of the best teams and have proved that down the years, from what I hear.

"We've had a full week to recover this week as we've had a hard run of games recently. It's given my body time and it's also allowed me to get my head into my books."

Beynon is studying for a Masters in Business at Heriot-Watt University and added: "This week has been all about recovery and it's been good to get time without travelling and playing.

"We were really close against Sheffield on Sunday – but not close enough. Missing out on penalty shots is tough, but that's hockey.

"The first one just didn't go right and, with the second one, I tried something different but it just ran off my stick and that was that.

"A penalty shoot-out is a lottery but we pushed the league champions hard and came away with a point. We again saw a lot of ice time as we've got some bodies missing, but we've got a really good team spirit here and everybody knows what their jobs are.

"Everybody is playing really tough and giving their all for the team. The young guys are working hard and that's important for us. They really played for us against Sheffield and everybody is contributing.

"We'll need that same spirit again on Saturday and Sunday and it helps when you have a good goaltender. Cody (Rudkowsky] is stopping a lot of shots and that's vital for a team.

"Everybody else does what is asked of them but it is difficult playing imports short but we have to work through this."

Skipper Martin Cingel (knee), Lithuanian forward Darius Pliskauskas (hand) and Doug Christiansen (knee) are all sidelined until Christmas.

Christiansen, who doubles as coach, will have to shuffle his lines again and it will not be easy against his opposite number Thompson, who doubles as Great Britain's coach.

Ben O'Connor, who played for Blaze last season before switching back to Murrayfield, may again be asked to use his energy and commitment to good use by playing up front to help out.

And young guns Scott McKenzie, Jordan Steel and Mark Paterson can again be expected to step up to help out against a side which is one of the form teams in the league having won their last four games.