VIDEO: Discipline key as Stingrays search for ‘perfect’ performance

Hull are the surprise participant at the final-four weekend at Nottingham’s National Ice Centre after deservedly defeating Sheffield Steelers 7-4 over two legs in the first round of the post-season last weekend.

Now another big obstacle stands in their way of reaching tomorrow’s showcase final in the shape of 2011 play-off champions, Nottingham Panthers, a team who have beaten the Stingrays on each of the seven previous meetings during the regular season.

As was the case against Ryan Finnerty’s Steelers, most people will be giving Hull no chance of progressing further but the East Yorkshire side have already proved that anything is possible in the play-offs.

It has been a testing campaign for former Coventry captain Cloutier – his third as player-coach at Hull – whose low-budget team have played an import light since the departure of defenceman Josh Mizerek in early December.

Despite much talk of bringing in a replacement for the former captain, no fresh face materialised, largely due to the knock-on effect of the financial problems encountered by the ownership at their other club, Coventry Blaze.

As is always a hazard in professional hockey, untimely injuries often took their toll on struggling Stingrays, who were also denied the offensive threat of top goalscorer Jereme Tendler when he was suspended for six weeks after failing a drugs test in Coventry in January.

Watch Hull Stingrays’ netminder Christian Boucher talk ahead of the play-off semi-final HERE

Read the verdict of Sheffield Steelers’ Rod Sarich on the key players for Hull Stingrays and Nottingham Panthers HERE

At one point it was feared Hull might not even make the play-offs, but a weekend double in mid-February over rivals Dundee Stars helped steady the ship as they eventually finished in seventh place.

By reaching the semi-finals Hull have already created a bit of history by becoming the first team outside of the top six to reach the play-off semi-finals since the league began in 2003.

But in order for them to progress even further, Cloutier acknowledges his team are going to have to play an almost “perfect” game for 60 minutes if they are to deny the offensively-gifted Panthers a third play-off final appearance in four years.

To watch Sylvain Cloutier talk ahead of Saturday’s play-off semi-final with Nottingham click PLAY at the top of the page.

“What we’ve accomplished already here as a group is unbelievable,” said Cloutier. “We know it’s a big hill to climb to play Nottingham, they’re probably the biggest club in the country.

“We know they are all about offence – they’ve got three lines that can all hurt you and their goaltender (Craig) Kowalski is very good too.

“So for us to have any chance we know we’ve got to play a perfect game and play for the whole 60 minutes like we did twice against Sheffield and if we do get scored on that we don’t get down and we stick together and we keep going.

“They have got one of the best powerplays in the Elite League and we’re going to have to be extremely disciplined and make sure we stay out of the penalty box because that could hurt us.”

The underdog tag sat comfortably with Cloutier’s team last weekend and will do so again at the NIC where Nottingham, as always, will benefit from playing on ‘home’ ice.

But the 38-year-old Canadian – whose own future as coach at Hull Arena remains uncertain while the ownership of the club after the current season remains in doubt – believes the presence of fans attending this weekend from all other Elite League clubs, a play-off tradition in Nottingham, will counter-balance Nottingham’s home advantage by getting behind his team.

“Doing what we did as an underdog in Sheffield was an unbelievable feeling and yes, we know our chances against Nottingham are extremely thin,” said Cloutier. “They are clear favourites; they are the big club and we are the small club going into what is effectively their building.

“But I hope the fans of other teams get behind us. I’ve been getting a lot of Tweets and messages on Facebook from fans from other teams around the league. I think they will be supporting us – maybe that can help us go on to achieve something even more special.”

Watch highlights of Hull’s 5-2 second leg play-off win against Sheffield Steelers HERE

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Twitter: @philarra