Dulle in defiant mood

Monday 00 20, 2012

Captain Kurtis Dulle says Excel Hull Stingrays are still sitting in a strong position despite suffering two Rapid Solicitors Elite League defeats in the space of three days.

A 6-1 loss at leaders Belfast Giants on Friday night was followed by a 5-3 reverse to Cardiff Devils at Hull Arena on Sunday.

Both matches saw Stingrays play short with Ryan Lake, Jereme Tendler, Matty Davies and Martin Ondrej missing from the line-up.

Stingrays – eight points clear of ninth-placed Dundee Stars - next face Belfast at home on Saturday followed by games in Cardiff and at Sheffield Steelers, with six of their remaining nine league games coming against teams in the top five.

But Dulle said: “We are short-staffed and I know the fans are frustrated – but we are frustrated too. We are not enjoying playing short.

“We are still in seventh place with nine games left. We are in the play-off run and we are not in a bad situation. We want to finish seventh. We don’t have too many games left and we need a couple more wins to make sure we have a spot.

“We don’t want to have to win that last game against Dundee. That is why all our remaining games are important. If we can get a couple of more wins quickly then maybe we can rest a few guys and make sure we are healthy for the play-offs.

“Then it is a new ball game. The play-offs are two games [to reach the Final Four weekend]. People have counted us out already but you never know.”

Stingrays take on Belfast Giants at Hull Arena in the Rapid Solicitors Elite League on Saturday February 25 (7pm face-off). Tickets can be purchased by ringing the Hull Arena Box Office on 01482 325252. 

Tags: Dulle defiant

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