Stingrays aim for perfect finish

Paul Thompson's side – who Hull player-coach Cloutier helped clinch two league titles in 2007 and 2008 – sealed a fourth championship in seven years of the Elite League last weekend and are backed by many to repeat their double heroics of 2005 by winning the play-offs at Nottingham's National Ice Centre on Easter Sunday.

After finishing the regular season bottom of the table, Hull understandably go into the two-legged play-off first round encounter as underdogs, with Coventry having easily won the eight-game head-to-head league series by seven to one.

But Hull have been buoyed by an impressive run of form which saw them take 24 points from the last 22 regular season games, including a 2-1 victory over Coventry in Hull at the end of February.

Winning eight of their last 11 home games has also given Hull confidence going into tonight's first leg in East Yorkshire (5.30pm).

"We're going to have to be very disciplined and more or less play perfect hockey for six periods over the weekend," said Cloutier.

"We have to stay out of the penalty box as they are lethal on the powerplay. But we eventually found a way to beat them in the regular season and we have made Hull Arena a difficult place to visit so we have to be confident."

Cloutier said Coventry were derved champions, picking up their fourth Elite League title since the latest version of top-flight British hockey was launched in 2003.

But despite Coventry's dominance of Hull during the regular season, Cloutier and, just as impiortantly, his players believe an upset is possible.

"For this club to get to the finals weekend in Nottingham would be absolutely fantastic," added Cloutier.

"They were the best team in the league, they were the most consistent and they found ways to win games. They are built to win trophies.

"It's the play-offs and growing up back home as a Canadian boy that is what you play for, it's what you wait for.

"It's a war and if you don't have ice packs on your body after the game then you did not go out there and battle for your team."