The Flyers opened their competitive 2024/25 season in front of huge crowd in the Auld Barn as they hosted the Glasgow Clan in the Challenge Cup. The home side scratched Martin Látal and Austin Farley whilst the visitors were without Reece Kelly and Gary Haden. The opening minutes were played as expected at a frantic pace but neither team got the puck through on the goalies. In the 4^th minute Drake Pilon created havoc in the Clan rearguard and Phélix Martineau was unlucky as he tried to pick up the scraps and his shot grazed the post. The visitors went on the first power play of the game moments later when Johnny Curran was called for roughing. The Clan power play was kept to the perimeter for the most but Mitchell Heard fed the puck through the box and in the slot Rylan Schwartz got a tip to beat Shane Owen to open the scoring. The Flyers responded with a shot from the high slot by Artur Gatiyatov forcing Landon Bow’s first save. In the 7^th minute Martineau saw an effort fought off by Bow. Chris McKay had a long range floater gloved by Owen in the 9th minute and he was soon in action again as he stopped Darien Kielb’s slapshot from the blueline. Moments later the Flyers leveled the game  as Drake Pilon’s shots hit the backboards and was mis handled by Bow who was out of position and Martineau cleverly banked the puck off the back of the goalie and into the net.

The Flyers went on the power play in the 10^th minute when Clan were called for too many men. The home side were patient with the man advantage without getting anything to the net until Lucas Chiodo let rip from the top of the circles and the puck appeared to go five hole on Bow.  The Flyers survived a scramble around their net in the 13^th minute as Owen made a goal line stand before the nets came off. A minute later on a delayed penalty Owen made a great leg save to deny Felix Pare as Pilon got the gate for hooking. Flyers killed the penalty with the only Clan shot coming in the final second from Pare which Owen gloved. Gatiyatov was helped from the ice and went to the room in the 18^th minute after a late hit along the boards by Clan’s McKay which drew no punishment. Glasgow created intense pressure around the Flyers net as the period drew to a close but Fife stood firm.

35 seconds into the middle period the Clan returned to the powerplay as Madi Dikhanbek was called for a slash on Mitchell Heard as went in on goal.  Owen produced a couple of saves, the first from Liam Finlay and then a glove save on Kielb as the Flyers killed the penalty and when Dikhanbek returned to the play he rushed the puck up ice and his shot was sticked away by Bow.  Flyers were next on the power play after Nick Prkusic was called for interference and 30 seconds into the man advantage Michael Cichy had the Clan netminder swimming in his crease but from a bad angle could only shoot the puck wide of the far post. As Clan returned to full strength Maxim Musorov on the edge of the crease was absolutely stoned by an incredible leg save by Bow. The parade to the penalty box continued as this time it was Fife who were penalised with Pilon sitting for a slash on Prkusic and Owen came up with a big save on Steven Seigo. As the penalty was winding down the Flyers carved out a shorthanded chance when Dikhanbek and Musorov broke up ice with the latter just running out of space with Bow stranded. A shot by Cichy in the 33^rd minute short side on Bow was denied and a couple of minutes later Bow held a shot by Pilon. Flyers were back on the powerplay in the 36^th minute when Simon Despres was called for hooking and they made it count for the second time in the match. After some neat interplay out in the slot Johnny Curran fired to puck cross crease and Cichy was at the back post to deflect it high into the net.

The start of the third period was delayed as the warm conditions in the rink didn’t help with the ice refreezing after the flood. When we got under way Pilon forced the first shot after 30 seconds from around the circles. The home side passed up a glorious chance in the 41^st minute when Lucas Chiodo and Cichy broke 2 on 1 but Bow stood tall to make a smart leg save. Clan responded and after Owen had denied Felix Pare he was beaten in the 44^th minute when Prkusik picked up a loose puck and slid it into the corner of the net to half the Clan deficit. There were offsetting penalties to Clan’s scorer for charging and Patrick Kyte for slashing as the teams stayed at 5 on 5 in the 48^th minute. A minute later and Heard forced an arm save from Owen. In the 50^th minute a huge open ice hit by Pilon on Tyson McLellan left the Clan player on the ice and following a review of the incident by the officials the Flyers player was assessed a 5 plus game penalty for interference. Two minutes into the power play the manpower was evened up as Finlay was called for hooking and the teams skated 4 on 4. Nikolai Shulga rushed the puck into the Clan defensive zone and his lay off to Musorov was backhanded between the legs of Bow to restore the Flyers two goal lead. Clan then had just under a minute of power play time left on the initial Pilon call and Owen came up huge again when he first denied Seigo and then flashed the leather on Cole Ully just as the Flyers returned to full strength. No sooner had parity been restored further penalties were called with two minors going to Clan’s Heard for interference and Kielb for holding the stick and again after a video review Daniel Krenželok received a 5 plus game for slew footing. Two minutes of 4 on 3 saw the Flyers almost grab another goal when Chiodo was stopped by Bow who was out on top of his crease to meet the shot. With the Clan returning to full strength the power play flipped to them with three minutes remaining. Bow was pulled for an extra skater as they went 6 on 4 and Flyers called their time out. It was desperate stuff around the Flyers goal and the Clan pressure finally told with just 28 seconds remaining when Finlay roofed the puck to make it a one goal game. Clan then called their time out and on the restart quickly pulled Bow again but the Flyers held on to take the win.

Pic Credits – Jillian McFarlane and Derek Young

The Flyers are next at home on  Sunday 8th September when they entertain the Belfast Giants – tickets can be bought online here:  Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.