High ambition sees Davies back at Hull

BRITISH forward Matty Davies has returned for another season at Hull Stingrays with high aims.

The Hull-born 22-year-old is back for a fourth successive season with the Elite League club and believes opportunity could knock for Sylvain Cloutier’s team due to the new dual-conference structure voted for by club owners.

In a move which divided opinion in the game, Hull now find themselves in a northern conference along with Braehead Clan, Dundee Stars, Fife Flyers and Edinburgh Capitals.

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In a much stronger ‘southern’ conference, Hull’s Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Steelers are pitted against Coventry Blaze, Cardiff Devils, Nottingham Panthers and 2012 regular season league champions Belfast Giants.

Teams will still play rivals from the opposng conference four times – twice home and away – while playing rivals from their own section eight times, again equally divided between home and away games.

Some have already labelled the northern conference the weaker of the two, but Davies believes the Stingrays stand an improved chance of regular season honours under the new structure.

“It has been a league of two halves for the last few years,” said Davies. “But I think fans want to see their team winning more and being involved in more competitive matches which is why I think it will be good for us.

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“I think everybody is putting Braehead down to be the team to beat in our conference because of their budget and roster.

“But our aim as a club has to be to go out and win our conference.”

Last season Davies played a key role for the Stingrays, but found points hard to come by, grabbing six goals and 12 assists in 54 appearances as Hull caused a major surprise by making the final four play-off weekend in Nottingham, where they were thrashed 10-2 by the ‘hosts’.

This season, Davies acknowledges he needs to produce more in the way of points.

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“It was tough for me last season and I didn’t do as well as I wanted to,” he said. “I want to prove I can produce in this league.”

Crucially for Davies, his coach believes he is capable of contributing more offensively

“Matty wants to play for Stingrays, he cares a lot about his hometown club and he wants the team to be successful,” said Cloutier.

“He has the skills to put up points in this league. He had a bit of a rough time last year, but I believe he can do it.”

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Tonight (Thurs) sees owner and bench coach Bobby McEwan attend a fans’ forum along with Cloutier at Hull Arena Blades Bar, starting at 7.30pm.

In Sheffield, the Steelers’ coaching team of Ryan Finnerty, Neil Abel and Ashley Tait will attend a supporters club forum Forum at the Holiday Inn (Royal Victoria) Hotel (6.30pm for a 7pm start).