Murrayfield Racers chiefs call for same intensity levels against Aberdeen Lynx

Capital ice hockey side in Stuart Robertson Cup action
Murrayfield Racers. Pic: Ian CoyleMurrayfield Racers. Pic: Ian Coyle
Murrayfield Racers. Pic: Ian Coyle

Murrayfield Racers face-off on home ice against Aberdeen Lynx tomorrow in the first leg of their Stuart Robertson Cup semi-final (6pm) and director of hockey Tony Hand is looking for “the same level of intensity” from his players witnessed in last weekend’s excellent 7-4 win over National Ice Hockey League outfit Whitley Warriors.

Racers, who are the defending Stuart Robertson Cup champions, start as favourites to progress to the final to be played later this month, but Hand is taking nothing for granted.

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He said: “I thought the guys were fantastic (last week). They really battled hard against a strong team in Whitley, there was a little rivalry there which is good. It wasn’t a nasty game but it was a hard game, you need rivalries and both sets of fans loved it.

“Aberdeen have had good results of late and we know it’s a two-legged game, so we need to throw everything at them and hopefully take a lead back up there.

“If we don’t manage that then we will need to do the business up in Aberdeen. We know it will be a tough two games against them, I want to see the same intensity we showed against Whitley, that will stand us in good stead.”

Hand has also welcomed Scottish National League bosses’ decision to move the final to earlier in the season, with the two-legged affair to be played over as yet unconfirmed dates before the end of the year.

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Racers beat North Ayrshire Wild in April in last season’s final, more than a month after the completion of the league campaign.

Hand said: “It’s good, because fixtures can get very congested at the end of the season, and if we’re fortunate enough to get through we will rearrange a couple of games as the final needs to be played before the end of the year.”

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