Storming start for Clan with Finnerty reunion
BRAEHEAD Clan and Ryan Finnerty will come together in a Stormy reunion after Manchester were picked to come to Glasgow on the opening day of the new campaign.
The former Clan head coach will bring his new side to Glasgow on September 2 on Challenge Cup duty with Braehead returning to Altrincham the following day. It’s a fixture that will get the fans excited as the game also sees the return of former Clan players Jay Rosehill, Mike Hammond and Matt Beca.
However, it will be the only home game of September due to Disney on Ice taking up residence at Braehead Arena throughout the month.
The next weekend sees the Clan take on Gardiner Conference rivals Dundee Stars, Fife Flyers and host Edinburgh Capitals in the first Scottish Elite Cup.
Then the Clan get their Elite League campaign un- derway on Saturday, September 16, with a first-ever visit to Milton Keynes Lightning, one of two new teams to join the league.
After seven straight road games, Clan return home to Glasgow on Saturday, October 7, to renew hostilities with Conference rivals Fife Flyers.
For the first time, the Elite Ice Hockey League will consist of 12 teams, split into three Conferences of four.
Clan will contest the Gardiner Conference with Dundee Stars, Edinburgh Capitals and Fife Flyers, playing each other four times at home and four times away.
John Tripp’s men will play against teams in the other conferences twice home and twice away, making it a 56-game schedule, up four games from last season.
The Challenge Cup has also been reformatted as a result of the increased number of teams and will now have three groups of four.
Clan chief Gareth Chal- mers said: “The doubleheader against Manchester Storm, after what’s happened over the summer will get fans excited over the new season.
“It’s the start of a new format in both the league and Challenge Cup and will provide something different, not to mention the addition of Milton Keynes and Guildford Flames.
“We know it’s going to be averytoughcampaign,butit will be the same for every team and I’m looking forward to what lies ahead.”