Edinburgh Capitals aim to upset former boss Hartmann

Capitals Taylor Dickin scores his second goal against Manchester Storm last Sunday. Picture: Jan Orkisz/SMP

They may have won just twice in their last 20 games, but Capitals player-coach Riley Emmerson believes his struggling team can upset the odds with a win against title chasing Clan despite the possibility of facing-off against Hartmann.

Braehead, who now have a treatment table busy enough to rival Edinburgh’s, will be without five key players through a combination of injury, suspension and international duty.

Hartmann, who left Edinburgh at the end of last season after a spell of four years as player-coach, is expected to lace up his skates for Clan in his first game in almost a year. He became assistant coach under Ryan Finnerty last  summer.

Braehead have also added to their squad, announcing the signing of 36-year-old former Finnish international forward Toni Dahlman

Emmerson said: “We can’t think just because they’re short of bodies, and have one player out suspended, that it will be in any way an easier game. They’re in the mix for a title and will come out hungry.

“They could be missing as many as five guys, but that’s just a taste of our medicine, we’ve been playing like that all year. They’re still a strong team and even have two import goalies so we need to be ready for what will be a huge test.

“We need to have everybody committed to keeping things simple and if we can go out with that mentality we can push for a win tonight.

“We have 11 games of the season left, the results certainly haven’t been going our way but we’ve had a good week in practice and I believe if we lay our bodies on the line every night we can win games.”

Edinburgh, who will have starting goalie Carsen Chubak return to the line up after leaving early in the second period of Sunday’s 13-9 loss to Manchester Storm with a facial injury, have made an addition of their own with the signing of an as yet unnamed Canadian import who can play both forward and defence, and has spent this season playing in the country’s lower leagues.

Capitals co-owner Scott Neil confirmed the news, and said: “Yes, we have signed a player and I expect him to play tonight. However, we promised his old club we would hold off on releasing the news until later today.”