WEEK 3 of the 2023/24 Elite Ice Hockey League season with the Flyers facing the Dundee Stars in Challenge Cup action on both nights.
SATURDAY OCTOBER 7th v DUNDEE STARS @ FIFE ICE ARENA – FACE Off 7.15pm
Recent Form Guide
We welcome the Stars for their first competitive visit of this season after the two clubs met each other in preseason games a few weeks back. On the opening weekend of the season the Stars met the Belfast Giants in back to back Challenge Cup games. On the Friday night in Belfast it was a one goal game in the third period before the Giants pulled away for a 4-1 win including an empty net goal. The following night on Tayside the Stars got the jump on their visitors as they took a 2-0 lead inside the opening six minutes. Midway through the contest the Giants had things tied up and once again pulled away in the later stages of the match to win 6-2. Last weekend the Stars played both of their games on league business. Once again it was a back to back series this time with the Manchester Storm in opposition. In Altrincham on Saturday night the Stars took an early lead but midway through the game was tied at two goals each before a couple of goals in the closing ten minutes gave the Storm both points. Johnny Walker was assessed an illegal check to the head penalty and was suspended for two games the second of which will be served tonight. With one man short on the roster last Sunday the Stars got their first win of the season after the game ended 2-2 in regulation. Overtime couldn’t decide a winner and a marathon 18 shot penalty shootout came down in favour of the Stars with Ryan Valentini delighting the home crowd.
Last Challenge Cup Visit from Stars
Overall Challenge Cup Home Record Against Stars
P 13 W 7 L 6 F 43 A 38
Number Crunching
The Flyers have won their last three matches in all EIHL competitions against the Stars and also have a three game home winning streak going against their Tayside rivals.
In the Challenge Cup specifically the Flyers are unbeaten in their last three ties with Stars which of course included them playing four matches last season as they met in the quarter final stage.
The Stars however have a fairly decent record in Kirkcaldy in their last six visits in the Challenge Cup with four wins and only one regulation defeat.
There have only been two Flyers players to score hattricks in Challenge Cup games against the Stars and they were both scored in the last two meetings. Christian Hausinger on Tayside and Zack Phillips at Kirkcaldy both last December.
Stars have one hattrick scorer in the Challenge Cup against Fife, Jimmy Jensen in season 2017-18
SUNDAY OCTOBER 8th v DUNDEE STARS @ DUNDEE ICE ARENA – FACE Off 5.00pm
Last Challenge Cup Visit to Stars
Overall Challenge Cup Away Record Against Stars
P 13 W 3 D 1 L 9 F 28 A 38
Number Crunching
The Flyers record on Tayside in the Challenge Cup in recent seasons is impressive, they have not had a regulation loss in their last six visits with three wins a draw and two shootout losses. A marked contrast to their first seven meetings at Dundee Ice Arena in the Challenge Cup where they picked up only one point in seven matches.
This will be the 17th back to back meeting in all EIHL competitions between the Stars and Flyers. The record of 16 wins each over these games reflects how close the results are between the two sides in their 106 EIHL meetings so far with the Stars two wins ahead.
