Keefe calls on Giants to get back to winning ways

ADAM Keefe won’t allow his Belfast Giants players to coast into next weekend’s play-off quarter-finals.

The Giants coach wants his players to start getting their push for glory on final four weekend ready.

After their Challenge Cup success earlier this month, Keefe is hungry for more silverware and that means finishing the season by raising the play-off trophy in Nottingham, but after seven defeats in their last 11 games, the Giants need to find form — and quickly.

Tonight’s home clash with Milton Keynes Lightning was slotted into the schedule after the original fixture was postponed almost three weeks ago and while Keefe had it thrust into his lap, he intends to take the positives out of having three matches in five nights as the regular season comes to an end.

He said: “We want to get on a run in the three games we have left so that we are going into the play-offs in a confident mood.

“I wouldn’t have chosen to play this game in midweek, but when it was postponed we had to fit it in somewhere.

“I would have liked to have had a rest and the chance to get our roster healthy. But the other side of it is that we now have a chance to get back to playing the right way, turnaround the bad habits and get wins that will take us into the play-offs on a high.

“That’s what our focus will be this week.”

There is good news and bad news on the injury front for Keefe.

Former NHL defenceman Jim Vandermeer will be back on the ice after missing the last month — including the Challenge Cup final victory in Cardiff.

That is countered by the lost of John Kurtz and Jonathan Ferland in attack. Chris Truehl will continue in goal while Jackson Whistle works his way back.

The depth of the injury crisis took such a strong hold last week that Keefe had to play, but that is unlikely to happen against Lightning.

“We will have enough bodies to dress a good enough team,” said Keefe.

“Every team that we dress I’m confident in their ability to win us games.” Wants improvement: Belfast Giants coach Adam Keefe