Ice Hockey: Capitals can't afford another sloppy start

The former Newcastle Vipers forward is desperate to retain fifth place in the Elite League for the Murrayfield men after tonight's key Tyneside clash.

Capitals hold a one-point advantage ahead of the fixture at the tight Whitley Bay (6.30pm) icepad. And Hutchins is still smarting at going 3-0 behind at Sheffield on Thursday after only 11 minutes. Capitals eventually lost 6-4 after a spirited comeback to lead 4-3.

The 31-year-old hitman admitted: "You can't afford to do that (lose three goals) in this league. At Sheffield we did not have a good 11 minutes and went 3-0 down.

"We called a time-out and re-grouped and, had we not done that, then we could have been dead and buried.

"We fought back to lead 4-3 and we were the better team but we lost control in the final few minutes and it cost us."

Hutchins claimed that the attacking line of Owen Fussey, Simon Lambert and Mark Garside were flying and could have slotted several more goals if they had taken their chances.

And the much-travelled forward added: "The guys really responded after that early setback at Sheffield and we'll need to see the same level at Newcastle on Saturday.

"There is a great group of guys in this dressing room as we're playing hurt and still producing results like Wednesday's victory away at Coventry Blaze, who lead the league.

"The guys are playing extra but we have to work smarter and harder if we want to win hockey games in this league. Sometimes we work too hard and it costs us in the defensive zone but we know that the next two games are vital to us and we're looking for points.

"We beat Coventry but we didn't beat Sheffield, who are below us in the league and that's disappointing but we have to move on."

Luckily, nobody was injured in the midweek double-header so Doug Christiansen, Capitals' director of hockey, can select the same players against Newcastle.

He believes that the next two games are vital as the race for the final positions ahead of the play-offs loom.

The small Whitley Bay ice pad will not help his men but the American said: "There are really no excuses for Thursday night. We made mistakes in the first 10 minutes and were punished. I made a mistake in the last 10 minutes and they scored a short-handed goal but, in between that, the guys worked really hard.

"Newcastle are a very good team and they have some fine goal scorers like Matic Kralj and our former goaltender in Michel Robinson who is a fine player.

"He is doing a good job for them and can win a game on his own, but they have weaknesses. Their small rink won't help as it affects our speed but we are going to test their defence with as much speed a we can and, if we can win on Saturday night, then that sets up Sunday's game against Cardiff."

Devils are eight points ahead and face league leaders Coventry Blaze tonight but they have played two more games.

They have won 19 games and lost 16, scoring 121 goals and shipping 103 in the process while Capitals have found the net on 106 occasions and lost 133 goals despite the excellence of netminder Cody Rudkowsky.

Christiansen added: "You can't expect to win a game if you ship three goals in the first 10 minutes of the game.

"However, this team shows great character and they are a great bunch of guys."