Edinburgh Capitals host arch rivals Fife Flyers (face-off 4pm) on Hogmanay and co-coach Mike D’Orazio expects no mercy.
Fired-up Fife Flyers thrashed the bottom club 10-1 at Kirkcaldy on Boxing Day, the biggest win of the season so far for the ambitious Kirkcaldy combine.
And D’Orazio, who also captains Capitals, remembers that Fife kept on coming in that game.
He said: “I don’t blame them. They did the professional thing and sent their strongest lines out against us.
“This time it is a different venue, different day and we’ll be a different team.
“We know they will come at us hard but we’ll prepare for that and we would like revenge for that 10-1 defeat.”
Elsewhere, Braehead Clan playcaller John Tripp continues to chase a coveted play-off place and points against teams below the Glasgow side in the 12-strong table are particularly important in the run-in.
That’s why the Hogmanay clash (face-off 2pm) with second-bottom Dundee Stars – which is fast heading towards another 4,000 sell-out – carries so much importance.
Dundee, who are seeking players after four, including Taylor Dicken and Justin Fox left the club, go into the game on the back of two defeats.
Coach Omar Pacha has called on his depleted squad to step-up to fill the gaps.
Meanwhile, Tripp has urged his men to build on their two wins over the festive period.
One of them was an impressive 3-2 success in Glasgow against high-flying Belfast Giants on Boxing Day.
Tripp said: “We played a disciplined game against Belfast and the hard work we’ve been showing over recent weeks saw us come away with an important two points.
“In Edinburgh (Clan won 3-1) we didn’t play our best game. We made life difficult for ourselves but, most importantly, we came away with another win.”
His men are now within touching distance of a play-off spot and Tripp said: “We need to keep the momentum going heading into the New Year.”
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