NewClansm anBeca’s got Finn in purple daze

Coach backs Slovak star to bring winning feeling to Braehead

RYAN FINNERTY hopes new signing Matt Becawill bring that winning feeling to Braehead after signing on at Clan.

The 30-year-old arrives from a spell in Slovakia, where he helped HK Nitra win the play-offs.

That trophy success comes on top of previously winning the ECAC conference as well as the ECHL Kelly Cup and the Italian Cup.

He joins an ambitious Braehead club yet to clinch their first title but who are in the process of building a squad to finally bring that success to Glasgow.

With that in mind, head coach Finnerty is delighted that right wing Becais the latest player to be pulling on a purple shirt next season.

“Any time you have won anything in the past is good and if it is more recent, then all the better,” said Finnerty.

“He has played in good organisations through his career — apart from Italy, which was a tough spot — but he finished the season in Slovakia and won the play-offs.

“Matt has got ataste for European hockey and I think he will fit in very well here as an offensive guy and someone we looked at last year and has been on our radar for some time.

“He can play on the right wing and on any line and we are looking to put agood mix in.

“Matt will certainly fill that role on the right side and will produce at every level.

“At this point, we are pretty happy with where we are at and we are hoping the visa work gets done quickly and the guys can start arriving for camp.”

MEANWHILE, Braehead will open their new EIHL campaign with a home derby against east coast rivals Fife Flyers.

The fixture list for the forthcoming campaign was released yesterday morning and pits Finnerty’s men against the side that dramatically dumped them out of the play-off quarter-finals back in April.

The schedule is also unusual for Clan fans who have been used to following their team on the road for the first chunk of fixtures due to Disney On Ice taking over the Braehead Arena.

However, this term will see them hit home ice straight away on Sunday, September 4, in the Challenge Cup. Fife and Braehead will also meet on January 2 in Kirkcaldy in a tasty battle.

“It will be nice to be on home ice for the first month rather than be on the road,” said Finnerty. “The guys who have just arrived in the country will get to settle instead of hitting the road for a month.

“Plus there is the journey to Edinburgh or Auchenharvie for practice every day, which makes things abit tough. We will not be at home in November though.

“Having the Challenge Cup so early means you do not have the distraction of mixing them into the league schedules, like it in the past.

“Getting them done and dusted early is agood decision and gives us the advantage of sounding out other teams that play in our Conference.”