CAPTAIN Kurtis Dulle believes Hull Stingrays must "get back to basics" if they are to stand any chance of beating Nottingham Panthers on Sunday.
After a run of four straight wins, Stingrays have lost seven of their last nine games, and have shipped 17 goals in their last three matches.
Their defeats include 7-2 and 4-3 reverses against Braehead and a 6-2 loss to rock-bottom Edinburgh.
Frustrated Dulle pointed to a sudden lack of team chemistry and some players trying to do too much.
"We'd completely gone away from every aspect of the game that we have worked hard to build up before," he said.
"It was everything. From running around defensively to forwards trying to beat three guys at the blueline, too many turnovers and, at times, playing like a bunch of kids."
Dulle says the Rapid Solicitors Stingrays must remember the principle of "less is more", but believes his side will be fired up to face the big-budget Panthers.
And given Sunday's clash in Nottingham is followed in quick succession by another game against the Panthers, then Belfast, Sheffield and Cardiff, Stingrays must rediscover their belief they can find a way to win.
"We always seem to get up for games against the top teams," he said.
"It's the ones against sides in our own Conference where we seem to think we are going to walk all over them and then we make stupid plays and they take their chances.
"We don't do that against the likes of Belfast, Sheffield and Nottingham.
"We have to be more defensive because there is no room for error.
"If we make one the puck's in the back of our net but then we forget if we make the same error against Braehead or Edinburgh it's in the back of our net as well.
"It doesn't matter who we play we need to have the same routine, the same game plan, no matter who is on the ice against us."
