Just two defencemen for Rays trip to Scotland?

The injured trio: Troy Neumier, Paul Moran and Stuart Kerr

The Excel Hull Stingrays are down to just two regular defencemen for their 8th place crunch clash against the Edinburgh Capitals at Murrayfield this Sunday.

With Troy Neumeier already ruled out for the season with a torn ligament, both Stuart Kerr and Paul Moran are unlikely to play the lone game this weekend. Kerr, who has not iced for a full game since November 16, will seek further medical advice on a knee injury with an MRI scan planned for next week to pinpoint the injury.

Whilst British defenceman Moran has suffered a reoccurance of the shoulder injury that has troubled his career to date, with many suggesting that as a reason for his lack of progression in the British game. Coach Rick Strachan has suggested to the Hull Daily Mail that he out for more than just one game:

"Moran will probably be out for a couple of weeks so we are hoping to find a British defenceman to help us out this weekend.

Strachan's search for a British defenceman just comes days after Stingrays co-owner Sue Pack admitted that, in the light of injuries to Kerr and Neumeier, the team will have to end negotiations with replacement forwards. With Steve Slonina slotting in nicely on defence it was suggested that he would remain as a defenceman for the rest of the season and instead the Stingrays would replace Neumeier, a defenceman, with a forward in search of some much needed scoring.

With yet more injuries to an already frail defence the team are now looking to sign a British defenceman for this weekend, and possibly beyondm, as well as an import defenceman or two, which the Packs have already admitted is highly unlikely to arrive this side of New Year.

The lack of defensive coverage comes after the Stingrays were unable, or chose not to, renew the contracts of three Great Britain defencemen this summer. Luke Boothroyd was let go, whilst Stevie Lee and Dave Phillips chose to leave for more ice time and career opportunities respectively and the lack of depth that has previously been a luxury to the Rays is now non-exsistant.

Now, with just Aaron Wilson and, only recently fit, Pavel Gomenyuk as recognised defencemen, Strachan has begun the search for reinforcements ahead of Sundays game against the Capitals.

The Stingrays can perhaps count themselves lucky that they only have one game this weekend and that that is 'only' against fellow strugglers Edinburgh Capitals, who sit on equal points with the Stingrays.