WEEK 22 of the 2023/24 Elite Ice Hockey League season and the Flyers have an early start with a midweek road trip to Cardiff before returning to home ice on the Saturday as they once again meet the Devils. On Sunday they travel to Nottingham to meet the Panthers as the chase for a playoff place continues.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 14th v CARDIFF DEVILS @ VINDICO ARENA – FACE OFF 7.30pm
Recent Form Guide
The Devils make a quick return to Kirkcaldy for their last visit of the regular season after they had a come from behind 4-3 victory here at the end of January. The two teams met of course earlier this week in Wales but this was prior to the deadline for tonight’s programme. After their win in Fife the Devils were in Belfast for a double header with the Giants and were looking to extend their win streak to six games which would tie for their best this season. On the Saturday night it was an impressive road performance that saw them secure the two points with a 6-3 victory. Having tied their season best win streak they then stretched that to seven wins the following night when they fought back from a goal down at the end of the second period to win 4-3. Last weekend the Devils were at home on the Friday night against the Coventry Blaze who went two goals ahead in the first period but the Devils fought back and with a 4 goal final period took the points with a 5-3 score line. On Sunday they travelled to meet the Manchester Storm in Altrincham and had very little difficulty in keeping the win streak going with a 6-1 victory. A victory midweek against the Flyers would tie the Devils with Giants as the second longest win streak of the season.
Last League Visit to Devils
Overall Elite League Away Record Against Devils
P 28 W 4 L 24 F 55 A 129
Number Crunching
The Flyers will be looking to snap their 11 game losing skid against the Devils on their own ice.
The Flyers have been shutout on their last two visits and four times over their current losing span and will be looking to avoid being shutout in three consecutive visits to Wales – this would a first against any opponent in the EIHL – Flyers have previously also been blanked in back to back games in Belfast, Manchester, Coventry and Sheffield.
The Flyers last win at the Vindico Arena was 7th November 2018 when Joe Basaraba, Paul Crowder, Mike Cazzola, Danick Gauthier and Brett Bulmer were all on target in a 5-4 overtime win.
During this run the Devils have outscored the Flyers 51-16
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 17th v CARDIFF DEVILS @ FIFE ICE ARENA – FACE OFF 7.15pm
Last League Visit from Devils
Overall Elite League Home Record Against Devils
P 29 W 9 L 20 F 72 A 101
Number Crunching
The Flyers with a 3 and 0 record have yet to lose to the Devils in a shootout.
The Flyers top goal scorers against the Devils this term in all EIHL competitions are Collin Shirley and Troy Lajeunesse with two goals each and the five different Flyers have scored their seven goals. The Devils top marksman is Cole Ully with three goals and the Devils have seven different scorers of their eleven goals.
Across all EIHL competitions this season Flyers have scored an average of 2.85 goals per game with 3.84 being the Devils average. Devils have conceded an average of 2.56 goals per game with the Flyers averaging 3.7
The Devils have the second most shutouts in the league with five.
The Devils are also second for most short-handed goals scored with seven.
The longest losing streak the Devils have had this term is three games which is second fewest of all teams.
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 18th v NOTTINGHAM PANTHERS @ MOTORPOINT ARENA – FACE OFF 4.00pm
Recent Form Guide
The Flyers and Panthers of course met only last weekend in an unforgettable record setting 16 goal thriller which the Flyers emerged victorious in by a score line of 9-7. On the Sunday the Panthers hosted the Glasgow Clan in another crucial playoff game and their 3-2 win enabled the Flyers to jump over the Clan into 8th spot but also it kept Nottingham very much alive in the race for the post season.
Last League Visit to Panthers
Overall Elite League Away Record Against Panthers
P 28 W 9 L 19 F 72 A 93
Number Crunching
The Flyers have lost their last two visits to the Motorpoint Arena after winning on their previous three visits there.
The Flyers top goal scorer against the Panthers this term in all EIHL competitions is Troy Lajeunesse with four goals. His hat trick was only the second for a Flyers player against the Panthers with Carlo Finucci the other. The Flyers have nine different scorers of their 14 goals. The Panthers top marksman is Hugo Roy with three goals and the Panthers have an incredible twelve different scorers of their 15 goals.
Across all EIHL competitions this season Flyers have scored an average of 2.85 goals per game with 2.76 being the Panthers average. Panthers have conceded an average of 3.76 goals per game with the Flyers averaging 3.7
