Ice Hockey: Alex Kim refuses to be tied down by Notts

The 31-year-old added two points (a goal and an assist) to bring his season total to seven goals and ten assists during Sunday's 6-1 victory over Newcastle Vipers.

And he will be a key man as Capitals travel to Nottingham Panthers tomorrow and entertain Braehead Clan on Sunday (face-off 6.00pm).

The men from the Lace City have stuttered recently but beat Braehead Clan in Scotland last midweek and then edged Hull Stingrays 3-2 on Sunday.

Capitals have not faced Panthers so far this term but Kim has done his homework and knows their quality.

And the man from Fullerton, California, is ready for the challenge, saying: "I felt I needed around ten games to really get going. The win over Newcastle was a big one for us and we have a big weekend coming up."

Kim, who started his senior career in 1996, added: "People look at the stats and I know that they will be seeing my numbers.

"I know they'll come looking for me but I've played in different parts of the world and know what to expect. You get used to it and you keep going."

Nottingham, he conceded, will be a tough challenge. David Clarke, who is averaging more than a goal a game so far, tops their points charts with 18 and Jade Galbraith is two points adrift (six goals, ten assists).

Defenceman and player/coach Corey Neilson has 15 points, his being earned with two goals and 13 assists, and he must be reasonably happy that free-scoring Nottingham, who are third in the ten-strong table, have collected 58 goals in only 11 games and let in 38.

They have won eight of their 11 starts collecting 16 points in the process to leave them seven points adrift of pace-setting Belfast Giants.

Capitals, in contrast, are eighth with four points from eight starts.

They have won two games and scored 28 goals, however, the Murrayfield men have conceded 46, the third worst goals against total in the league.

Kim added: "We've not played them (Nottingham] yet and, from what I can gather, they have some really good players.

"We play Braehead here (Murrayfield] on Sunday. They've trained here this season and I've watched them.

"They are a really professional outfit and I expect a really tough game. We're doing all right and developing as a team but we'll have to step-up this weekend if we want to get anything from the games."

Unfortunately, Capitals have only had two on-ice sessions because of a junior training camp during the October break. That meant much of the fitness work was done in the gym and will undoubtedly hamper preparations to face Nottingham.

Last weekend, Nottingham whipped rock-bottom Dundee Stars 12-2 with Clarke netting a treble. Sunday's win over Hull and the away win at Braehead completed a welcome six-point spell.

Capitals coach Brad Gratton will make last-minute decisions on defenceman Daniel Madsen, who has been sidelined for over a month with leg ligament damage, and versatile, Edinburgh-born Neil Hay.