A preview of Hull Stingrays' games away at Sheffield (tonight, 7pm) and at home to Fife (tomorrow, 6pm).
ZACH Hervato says he is "delighted and surprised" to be handed Hull Stingrays' assistant captain's role this season.
The 24-year-old forward has impressed since his unheralded Summer arrival, clocking up 11 points from his 10 matches.
However, it is his all-round game and personality that has earned him his role as Matty Davies' deputy, along with team-mate Yan Turcotte.
Hervato was handed the "A" last weekend as original choice, Carl Lauzon, is excluded as he is the club's assistant coach.
"I was definitely surprised, especially being one of the younger guys on the team and I am only a second-year pro'," said Hervato.
"But it's a role I gladly accepted, and I'm honoured to try and lead my team-mates this year."
Hervato is adamant the role will not change either his playing style or his personality.
He won't be a tea-cup throwing, shouty "A", although he won't hesitate to resort to the verbals if necessary.
"I am vocal but not too vocal, but I speak up when I feel a voice of leadership needs to be spoken up," he said. "I like to keep it light, and not always very serious.
"I won't be yelling at the guys and telling them to do this and that.
"I will lead by example with my play and be vocal when I have to.
"It won't change the way I am in the room, the way I expect to be treated or how I treat others, it'll be me being me, leading by example."
Hervato led by example last weekend, netting one goal and assisting on the other as the Rapid Solicitors Stingrays beat Edinburgh 2-0.
Although pointless in the 3-2 overtime defeat against Nottingham, it was a pleasing return after three games out with injury.
The Canadian was injured on a one-on-one breakaway chance against Dundee at the beginning of the month, tearing a wrist ligament.
"I played the rest of that game on adrenalin, I suppose, and that might not have helped, but afterwards I knew something was wrong," said Hervato.
The three-game absence was enough to miss the 6-3 and 3-2 defeats to Sheffield Steelers, hence it will be third time lucky tonight in South Yorkshire, before facing Fife in Hull tomorrow for the first time.
"Hopefully, it will be," said the forward.
"The way we are playing right now we have to carry the momentum into tonight. If we do, it could have a very good outcome for us.
"I thought we deserved to win last time we played them, but playing the way we are I think the outcome could be very different.
"As far as Fife are concerned, I don't think of any team as anything ability-wise, you have to think about one thing and that's winning.
"You can't start thinking about playing this team and they are good or that team and they are not that good. We go into the game and play the way we can and if we do, we can come out with the win."
Coming out with a win will be more difficult without Matt Larke, who bowed out last weekend and has flown home for "family reasons."
While only contributing three points in 11 games, Larke's all-round game should not be underestimated.
"It will hurt losing Matt," said Hervato. "But we've been playing with adversity from the start of the year.
"Matt missed a game in Cardiff, I was out three matches, Omar Pacha's been out since the first Edinburgh game and other guys have bumps and bruises.
"We have been playing behind the eight ball since the season started.
"We are not scared, we have been winning without them, it's just another game for us."
Omar Pacha: 'We can beat anyone in this league'
IT'S always tough to go into Sheffield and play, but like I have said from day one, we can beat anyone in this league.
We're not just going to go in and play for 60 minutes and come back and play Fife, we want to steal those two points tonight.
The last two games against Sheffield have been really tight and I expect tonight to be the same. If we get a few breaks here and there, you never know.
Losing Matt Larke, without getting in his replacement Will Frederick yet, is a blow.
When you lose an import from up front it's massive, especially with me possibly being still out. In fact, it sucks.
You saw last weekend against Edinburgh and Nottingham when we had so much success it was because we had three lines.
It showed as we dominated the other teams because guys were playing every one in three shifts, not one in two.
Our powerplay was better because we had nine forwards, that was the main difference.
We only scored four goals, but we generated a lot of chances.
I am sure Fife will have improved on last year. It's the same core, but with a bit more offensive guys. It will be a good battle.
It's always good matches against Fife, they are always a tough team to play against, and it's a Gardiner Conference game too.
Overall, I was happy with last weekend when we got three points out of four, although I was disappointed as I wanted all four for the boys.
Cathy Wigham: 'Stingrays can ill-afford to lose key players'
FOR one player to hand in his notice is bad, for two to do so before the end of October is annoying.
Kurtis Dulle had gone before he was barely here, managing just one pre-season friendly before flitting due to "personal reasons."
His attacking skills from defence were replaced by the more defensive-minded defence of Brendan Jamison.
Matt Larke decided he too wanted to leave a fortnight ago, but played out his notice period before flying out on Thursday.
He had "personal issues back home".
Once again, player-coach Omar Pacha has used the opportunity to change the emphasis for the replacement.
Larke's more finesse-based style will be replaced by the sizeable Will Frederick, once he gets his visa.
Out-going Larke was billed as a player "ready to explode" by Pacha when he signed in June.
It seems the forward must have had a long fuse, as fans were still waiting.
Just three points in 11 games was hardly fireworks, more damp squib.
Maybe it was a case of if he'd got three or four goals and more lucky bounces it would have set him off on a scoring spree.
Or perhaps Larke was one of those players who will be missed more for his all-round game.
His style of play suggested he had all the right tools in the box – unfortunately, he didn't manage to fully utilise them.
While the club were no doubt sympathetic to both players, and it has given Pacha the opportunity to tinker with his squad, the fact remains it leaves Stingrays playing shorthanded yet again.
In 13 Elite League and Challenge Cup games, they are yet to ice a full-strength line-up.
As Stingrays chase their first win against Sheffield in three attempts this season they can ill-afford to lose key players.
Tomorrow Fife are the visitors to Hull for the first time this season.
Following their win and draw last weekend against Edinburgh and Nottingham, Stingrays will certainly hope for victory tomorrow against Fife as a bare minimum.
