Ice Hockey: Gratton vows to wield axe if Capitals do not buck up

His shock move comes on the eve of Wednesday's trip to third-placed Sheffield Steelers.

And it follows back-to-back weekend defeats by the Yorkshire side at Murrayfield, the first a narrow loss, 4-3 in a penalty shootout, and the other a more resounding 4-1 yesterday.

Gratton has had enough. Capitals have now played 13 Elite League matches with him calling the shots and they have won two, collecting five points.

That total leaves them in eighth spot in the ten-strong table with Newcastle ninth on goal difference having played two more matches. Dundee CCS Stars still prop up the division on three points and have played 16 games.

The rot, according to Capitals' playcaller, must stop however, but Edinburgh's visit to The House of Steel is followed by the visit of Nottingham Panthers, who are second, on Sunday (6pm).

Gratton said: "The good ship Lollipop is over. We still have guys out but that's the same old story.

"I am done making excuses. If guys don't battle every night they will sit on the bench or in the stands. I will go down to nine guys. We're losing with 15 and we can lose with nine."

The playcaller made his frustrations clear. "As a team we need to do better and we all need to be ready to play and stick to the game plan I set out. Too many times we are not working for each other and that has to stop now!

"Offense is not an issue here. I know we have good players that can put pressure on every other team and create goal scoring chances. Now we just have to be a lot better in our defensive zone and cut out the giveaways.

"For our special teams, powerplay and penalty killing we cannot have players running that aspect of our play. We go over it in practice.

"Players need to be accountable on regular shifts and special teams. I am the coach and this is how we will play. If players don't like this changes will be made. It's as simple as that."

Sheffield came to Scotland looking for maximum points and achieved their objective in both matches. Last night, it was obvious the visitors were in for the kill. They started at a high tempo and player/coach Ben Simon tested Capitals' netminder Scott Reid low down.

Rob Globke then pressed Reid and that signalled an assault on the Capitals end. The home side were unable to clear their zone and Sheffield were rewarded when Neil Clark slotted the opener in the fourth minute. Capitals responded and defenceman Jacques Perreault and skipper Martin Cingel both threatened but Steelers' netminder Mustokovs was equal to the task, keeping his cool to snuff out Cingel after the home captain broke on a one-on-one.

The assault continued into the second period when Sheffield effectively secured maximum points from their weekend in Scotland with a quick-fire treble in less than three minutes.

Jeff Legue started the goal rush, firing home after a cross-ice pass had split the home defence. Jason Hewitt was next to register, hitting the puck high into the net after the puck was shifted quickly in the home zone. And Globke pushed home from close range after a raid down the right. Steelers were on fire but, typically, Capitals continued to work hard. Home-bred hit-man Iain Bowie replied after he darted down the left wing and hit the net from a narrow angle after 26 minutes. Capitals were thereafter confined to breakaways and the game flared with just over five minutes left when Derek Campbell was thrown out after slashing at Reid. The giant netminder landed a right hook on the Sheffield man before Campbell was escorted from the ice.

On Saturday night, Capitals led 3-2 before Sheffield hit back to level and take the game into overtime and then penalties.

Jerramie Dornish kept his cool to net the game-winner and have the 250 travelling Sheffield fans out of their seats.

Fife-born Steelers' bench coach Neil Abel admitted: "Capitals played a lot better than they did when they were in Sheffield and lost 8-0. This proves that any team can beat another side on any night.

"On Saturday night, our guys took time to get rid of their bus legs. We got the two points but we can't afford any slip-ups. Our target was four points from the weekend and the guys delivered."

"The good ship Lollipop is over. We still have guys out but that's the same old story"

BRAD GRATTON