EDINBURGH CAPITALS go into their crunch home Elite League clash with fierce rivals Newcastle Vipers tomorrow knowing victory is a must after last night's late double whammy at Manchester Phoenix.
It's the club's second last home game of the regular season with seven games remaining.
Capitals' only other home fixture is on Saturday, March 21, when they take on Manchester.
Capitals have to travel to Cardiff Devils, Nottingham Panthers,
reigning league champions Coventry Blaze, Newcastle and Hull Stingrays – their main play-off rivals – on the last day of the season.
It's a tough schedule made even harder by the club's failure to take anything from their joust at the Altrincham rink last night.
Edinburgh-born Tony Hand, Phoenix's former player/coach, broke the deadlock after 11 minutes and Brett Clouthier made it 2-0 after 22 minutes.
Never-say-die Capitals roared back, skipper Martin Cingel opening Edinburgh's account with a power play strike after 25 minutes.
And defenceman Taylor Christie levelled in the 54th minute. Doug Christiansen, the club's director of hockey, then saw a shot stopped on the line before Hurtubise hit the bar.
Manchester's top marksman, David Beauregard broke free to make it 3-2 and Capitals gambled by withdrawing their netminder. The same player netted his second with ten seconds remaining to make the final scoreline 4-2.
The last-gasp double was a crushing blow and Capitals have now lost 34 of their 47 matches to date. Fifth-placed Manchester, who have already qualified for the play-offs, took their tally to 24 wins from 46 games and the result was achieved despite player/coach Hand being sent to the sin bin on a ten-minute misconduct penalty after 27 minutes after having a disagreement with referee Marco Coenen.
Hull are now breathing down Edinburgh's neck with 31 points from 47 games, the same number of starts as the Scots, who are a point ahead.
The Humberside outfit entertain Manchester on Saturday before travelling to Coventry 24 hours later.
Capitals face Newcastle tomorrow (6pm) then make the long trip to Cardiff on Sunday.
The heat is on and Christiansen admitted: "This is a game of inches – and the inches went for them last night.
"Last night was a huge game for us and we played well. We tied the game with six minutes to go and we kept Beauregard quiet for 54 minutes.
"Tomorrow is now a huge game for us and we'll be better."
He appealed for supporters to turn up in numbers and said: "Our fans have been superb all season and the team want to repay them by getting to the play-offs.
"There is nothing better as a player than to hear your fans in full voice and turning up in large numbers. That is what we need this weekend and the fans can play their part.
"Games against Vipers are always close and full of incident but we are confident we can beat them and take a step further along the road to making the play-offs."
Scott Neil, Capitals' general manager, admitted: "This has been the hardest season ever for Capitals but we are in pole position to make the play-offs for the second year running."
The last visit to Murrayfield by Vipers ended with the Capitals being elbowed out of the Knockout Cup on penalty shots.
A post-match flare-up saw fists fly but Neil added: "Hockey is a contact sport and it sometimes gets heated, but we hope for a hard but fair game this weekend with us, of course, coming up with the win we need."
Hibs boss Mixu Paatelainen was a spectator at last Sunday's victory over Belfast Giants and, with both Hearts and Hibs idle this weekend due to their elimination from the Scottish Cup, Neil extended an invitation to the city's football fans to attend the Newcastle clash.
Hibs and Hearts season ticket holders can get in for a special price of £10 (adults) and £5 (children). Neil said: "All fans need to do is bring their season ticket book and show it at the box office."
The full article contains 699 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
