Cardiff Devils’ boss Andrew Lord has urged his team to find more consistency as the pressure mounts at the top of the Elite League.
The Devils saw their lead cut to one point after last Sunday’s 4-3 defeat against Sheffield Steelers, but Lord expects his players to bounce back when they meet Nottingham Panthers and Fife Flyers this weekend.
“We need a bit more consistency – we tried to juggle things because I felt we got a little static in the second (period),” he told IceTime TV.
“We went back to juggling which has worked for us at moments – I felt it did give us a spark at times.
“It’s really about coming back and being better than we are right now. We have tons of belief in the room.
“It’s about working the process – you can look at the standings all you want but what is that stuff really going to do at the end of the day?
“It’s about breaking the game down into little segments and getting better in those segments and really holding ourselves accountable to the way we can play.”
Braehead Clan defender Harry Quast is looking forward to renewing hostilities with Fife on Saturday, but he says he’s glad the game is on home ice.
Clan are two points behind the Flyers in the standings and Quast is desperate to put one over their big rivals.
“I think the first day I got here the big talk was I hadn’t been to Fife yet and haven’t seen their rink or their fans,” Quast told Clan TV.
“It’s a great atmosphere and definitely glad we’re here against them and not going back down there – it’s a tough environment to play in.
“Any time of the year there’s a little bit of bad blood it gets a little bit more exciting.
“It is a good test to have before the play-offs, especially a divisional rival.
“We have had pretty good success against them this year, so hopefully we’re looking to continue that and set ourselves up for another great weekend.”
Flyers’ boss Todd Dutiaume believes having a full squad available will be crucial to his team’s hopes of success against the Clan.
The Flyers go into the fixture on the back of a four-point weekend, which included a superb victory at Nottingham.
“A huge key for us against this Braehead team is health,” he told Fife Today.
“They’re a deep side and it will be the first time this year we’ve faced them with a full squad, as well as renewed confidence.
“I think we are better than our previous match-ups suggest.
“We’ve beaten the Continental Cup champions, and other good ice hockey clubs. Hopefully now it’s Braehead’s turn.
“We’re now joint fourth in the league – which is the highest we’ve ever been in the standings at this time in the season.
“It’s been a good run of form and as we get back to full health we’d like to see that continue.”
WEEKEND RESULTS
Saturday
Braehead Clan v Fife Flyers
Cardiff Devils v Nottingham Panthers
Coventry Blaze v Edinburgh Capitals
Manchester Storm v Dundee Stars
Sheffield Steelers v Belfast Giants
Sunday
Dundee Stars v Braehead Clan
Edinburgh Capitals v Manchester Storm
Fife Flyers v Cardiff Devils
Nottingham Panthers v Coventry Blaze
Sheffield Steelers v Belfast Giants
(Image permission: Scott Wiggins)
