GLASGOW Clan defenceman Matt Stanisz has said that there can be no more excuses as they head into a battle for third place with Nottingham Panthers today at Braehead Arena.
The Elite League side are without a win in their last five, with only one success in their last nine as the Panthers come to town looking to cement the top-three spot Clan relinquished a week ago as the season heads into the final furlong.
And Stanisz revealed the disappointment and frustration from Wednesday’s 4-2 defeat to Cardiff Devils has given them a real determination to turn it around in front of a sell-out crowd.
“It’s time to focus,” he said. “There’s no more excuses and we have to come and be prepared for a battle. We knew on Wednesday that we were in there and had the opportunities. When you let a top team get away from you like Cardiff, it’s tough to come back from.
“The guys were definitely frustrated, but we’re determined to turn it into some positive motivation and take it into the rest of the season. The practices has seen a real determination from the group and we’re going back to the basics and making sure we’re doing those things right. It’s been positive the last couple of days.
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“The first period is key. You don’t want to be behind the eight-ball early on and we can have no complaints about travel.”
With two weekends to go before the end of the regular season, Pete Russell’s side have hit a bad run at arguably the worst possible stage of the campaign.
The prospect of a third-place finish is a tasty one, but in the context of current form, the Burlington, Ontario-born Canadian admits that the Panthers game has become the biggest game of the season and wants to deliver victory for the fans.
The 28-year-old, who was signed by the Clan from Manchester Storm last summer, added: “You wouldn’t have thought it would be if we were talking a few weeks ago, but it’s certainly become the biggest game so far and whoever takes this hits third.
“After the recent form, it’s the perfect game for us to try and bounce back. It’s going to be a sell out again and we’ve had good crowds recently, but we want to put everything out there for them to get the win.”
And Stanisz, who previously played in the ECHL with the Florida Everblades, Indy Fuel and Elmira Jackets before moving to the UK, wants the Clan fans to know how much the players appreciate them. “We love that they come and support us and want to give the fans what they’re looking for,” he added.
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