PREVIEW: Clan V Edinburgh Capitals THIS SATURDAY
NEXT HOME GAME: See new defenceman Felix-Antoine Poulin make his debut THIS SATURDAY (7:00pm face-off) against the Edinburgh Capitals. Get your tickets NOW via TICKETMASTER or by calling 0844 499 1700.
It’s Elite League and Gardiner Conference action at the Braehead Arena this Saturday night as Glasgow’s Braehead Clan host the Edinburgh Capitals.
Meetings with the Capitals have been fruitful for John Tripp’s men this season. The Clan have recorded 24 goals and 5 wins against the Capitals in the Elite League so far this season.
Our Match Night Live Reporter, David Marshall (@marshalldave38), looks at some of the Capitals’ players who will be hoping to end their streak of defeats against the Clan on Saturday night:
The 26-year-old forward has done his best to keep the Capitals ticking over this season. Playing only his second season in professional hockey, Cazzola leads the Caps in points and is only one goal short of being the Caps’ top goal scorer.
Cazzola has 11 goals and 20 assists so far this season. Against the Clan, the Canadian has been busy with one goal and four assists.
The Clan’s success against the Capitals has been due in no small part to keeping Cazzola off the scoresheet. Doing so again on Saturday night will be vital to a home victory.
The man who denies Cazzola being the Capitals’ top goal scorer. Banashkov has 12 goals and seven assists from 24 games in the Elite League this season. The 31-year-old Russian spent three weeks out with injury which has certainly put a dent in his numbers and was a massive blow for his team.
Banashkov has three goals and three assists against the Clan this season, certainly a man who the Clan defence will be hoping to keep quiet.
Playing his second year in Edinburgh, the role of player-coach is probably not one that D’Orazio thought he would be undertaking as the league began in September. However, it’s the job that the 27-year-old Canadian has now, alongside Jock Hay, and he must be commended for taking it on.
It can’t be easy taking on a coaching role for the team anchored at the bottom of the league, especially when he as to concentrate on his own playing role.
D’Orazio has played in four of the five league meetings against the Clan this season. He has remained pointless, much like his team, while 19 goals have zipped past him and his fellow D-men in the process. Hopefully, the Purple Army will see a few more goals for D’Orazio and co. to rue on Saturday night.
