December could be the defining month for Murrayfield Racers

Murrayfield Racers begin December with a home double-header, welcoming Hull Pirates in the National Ice Hockey League North Cup tonight, and playing last season's SNL treble winners, Dundee Comets, at Murrayfield on league business tomorrow (both games face-off 6pm).
Richard Hartmann, top left, scored a hat-trick in the 5-5 deaw with Dundee Comets last weekRichard Hartmann, top left, scored a hat-trick in the 5-5 deaw with Dundee Comets last week
Richard Hartmann, top left, scored a hat-trick in the 5-5 deaw with Dundee Comets last week

The remainder of 2018 promises to be busy and includes a charity teddy toss, a chance to reach their first ever cup final, and a clash on Hogmanay with the United States of America military team, bringing the curtain down on nine games, six of which are at home, in the month of December. A run that club director Willie Dunn describes as “huge for the club”.

Racers welcome club-captain Callum Boyd back into the squad after a two month injury lay-off, and Dunn said: “This is huge for us. It’s great to have a run of home games in front of our fans after a lot of games away from Murrayfield recently. But, it’s not just that. All the games are really important as well.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Last season Comets won the league and lost very few games. If we have any league aspirations of our own we need to beat them.

“If we beat Kirkcaldy Kestrels here next week, and providing we win away at Dundee Tigers later this month, a team we have beaten twice already this season, we’ll qualify for the Stuart Robertson Cup final, and for a new club that would be some achievement.

“We want people to come to the Kirkcaldy game on the eighth of December with a new teddy wrapped in a plastic bag and hopefully when we score our first goal they’ll all get thrown on the ice. We’ve partnered up with Helping Hands Edinburgh who are a charity that do a lot of good work for under-privileged kids in the city.

“All in all it’s a really busy month for us, and we’ve got the big game on Hogmanay against the US Military team, that will be a really interesting for both our fans and players, and hopefully a wee celebration of our season so far.”