Ice Hockey: Caps beat leaders but there's no Blaze of glory for Hutchins

Published on Monday 23 November 2009 08:39

JEFF HUTCHINS today had mixed feeling despite scoring a treble to shoot down Elite League pacesetters Coventry Blaze in a 15-goal thriller at Murrayfield.

The 31-year-old was delighted to help Edinburgh Capitals earn two points to snap a five-game losing streak but deflated that the home side let slip a 7-2 lead to edge the game 8-7.

Edinburgh move into sixth spot in the eight-strong table at Sheffield Steelers' expense after the reigning league champions lost 4-2 at Newcastle Vipers and bottom club Hull Stingrays' went down 5-1 at Cardiff Devils.

Capitals have three games in hand over Steelers and four over Hull but Hutchins admitted: "We're on a little bit of a downer. Instead of coming in and celebrating after beating the first-placed club handily we hung on and it's something we'll need to work on.

"We've done that a couple of times and let teams off the hook. They're (Coventry) not the first-placed club for no reason. They have a lot of firepower even with three of four guys out and they can turn things around. They showed that last night.

"We wanted the win and everybody else around us lost. That is the credit side of it, but we'll have to do a lot of hard work."

Hutchins added: "We only have four defencemen and to play for 60 minutes means they have to work really hard. They do a good job but that is asking a lot of them.

"It's important that the forwards step up their game to help the defence out."

So, Capitals will work hard on defence this week in training. Doug Christiansen, the club's director of hockey, said they will be working "ad nauseam" on defending as he bids to continue their climb up the table.

The fifth-placed club, Cardiff, who Capitals entertain on Saturday, have 22 points from 19 games, ten more than Capitals, but victory over the men from the Principality would narrow the gap.

Certainly, if Capitals show the same dash and skill they demonstrated in an incredible opening 12 minutes last night then any team in the league would have to take note.

Incredibly, the much-hyped Coventry defence, which has only conceded 43 goals in 17 games, including last night's deluge, caved in as Capitals mounted wave after wave of assaults.

The home side were ahead after only four minutes when Simon Lambert carved open the Midland club's rearguard, beating two defencemen in the process before slotting home.

The second followed only 41 seconds later as Hutchins burrowed his way through the bemused Coventry rearguard on a power play and the same player made it 3-0 only 53 seconds after that with a goal from the right wing.

Stunned Blaze then called a time out as they attempted to regroup but it counted for nothing as now rampant Capitals went in search of a fourth.

It came on ten minutes when Owen Fussey fired a slapshot on Coventry netminder Peter Hirsch through a ruck of players during a power play.

More was to come as new signing Dan Welch opened his account for the club during a melee around the Coventry crease. Instantly, Coventry withdrew Hirsch and sent on back-up Tom Murdy.

The English side opened their account in the 13th minute when Greg Chambers netted and they reduced the deficit as Capitals retreated into their own end and Blaze made them pay. Skipper Adam Calder supplied the finishing touch on the power play after 14 minutes.

Capitals needed to stem the tide and Michael Beynon made it 6-2 in the fourth minute of the middle session after a long-range effort flew through traffic to hit the rigging.

Mark Garside made it 7-2 on the power play with a shot from distance and that was Capitals' last goal until the 59th minute. Coventry hit back in style despite the loss of Luke Fulghum for verbal abuse of referee Moray Hanson.

The fightback was sparked by a strike from former Scottish Eagles hitman Jonathan Weaver on the power play after 44 minutes. Calder made it 7-4 three minutes later and the gap was down to two when Weaver netted in the 53rd minute.

Worse was to come for home fans when Greg Chambers scored Coventry's sixth short-handed in the 58th minute and coach Paul Thompson then withdrew his netminder.

Hutchins slotted home with 1min 7sec left to make it 8-6 and ease home nerves but Derek Campbell slotted with 44 seconds remaining to set up a grandstand finish which included Capitals being short handed when Mark Smith was sent to the sin bin for roughing. The drama increased when Thompson cheekily called for a stick measure on Hutchins and was successful.

On Saturday, Capitals were level at 3-3 after 33 minutes thanks to goals from Lambert, skipper Owen Fussey and Ben O'Connor but Blaze fired three unanswered in the eighth, 54th and 58th minutes to take the points.