Fife Flyers were looking to snap a five game losing skid as they entertained the Dundee Stars in the second of four clashes in the Challenge Cup between the teams. Flyers were still without the injured Martin Látal and he was joined on the sidelines by Brodie Kay after a hit in the game last Sunday. James Spence had been announced earlier in the day as returning to the Kestrels and also scratched were Brython Preece and Madi Dikhanbek. The Stars were at full strength.

90 seconds into the game and the first penalty of the contest went against the Stars as Kris Inglis was called for tripping. Johnny Curran from the resultant face off got a shot on Richard Sabol but the Stars killed the rest of the penalty with relative ease with the Flyers struggling to get set up in the zone. Shane Owen made his first stop in the 4^th minute when he caught a rising shot with his chest from Brendan Harms who was positioned at the circles. Ben O’Connor was wide open in the 5^th minute but Owen sprawled on the top of his crease to get a piece of the puck and keep it out. Moments later Kyle Pouncy saw his shot clip the post. Sabol produced a ten bell save in the 7^th minute following a Phelix Martineau tip from close range that somehow the keeper stretched to keep out of the net. Almost immediately Dundee had the lead as Zach Tsekos deked his way around a Flyers defenceman and neatly beat Owen five hole to open the scoring. Daniel Krenželok threw his body in front of the puck to block a shot in the 9^th minute as Dundee continued to press. Sabol was called into action in the 11^th minute when he made a save with his arm from Michael Cichy. Straight back came the Stars as Owen stopped Alexander Tonge’s one timer as he slid across his goal crease. Jake Elmer entered the Flyers zone and caused panic with Owen eventually covering up the puck with Jonathan McBean poised on the edge of his blue paint. Keanu Yamamoto was shut down by the Fife netminder in the 12^th minute as he tried to go short side post and in the 16th minute Owen made a glove save to stop Brett Gravelle. Drake Pilon tested Sabol with the Stars netminder coming up with another huge save in the 18^th minute denying Lucas Chiodo who was slipped in neatly by Cichy on a 3 on 2 break for the Flyers. In the 19^th minute Olivier LeBlanc and Gravelle were called for coincidental roughing minors and Owen had to be alert again to deny Harms who tried to capitalize on a Flyers turnover. With 30 seconds in the period remaining Pilon clanged iron with a heavy shot.

Elmer had the first shot of the second period which was gloved by Owen in the 21^st minute. At the other end a minute later Sabol also flashed the leather as he was out on top of his crease to deny Nikolai Shulga. Tyler Heidt in the 24^th minute found himself up on the rush and he went down the slot but Sabol was again aggressively out to challenge his shot and make the stop. The Flyers did however level the game moments later when a low shot by Krenželok from just inside the blueline flew into the bottom corner with Sabol failing to track it. Elmer struck the outside frame of the Flyers net in the 28^th minute but it was the Flyers who continued to look the more dangerous side. Martineau broke in on Sabol and tried to go five hole with the goalie just getting enough of the puck to stop it from sliding into the net. In the 30^th minute however he was beaten again by Krenželok who was wide open on the left wing as he joined the rush and after Curran stripped the puck at the blueline and fed him the puck the defenceman sniped it stick side on the Stars netminder to give the Flyers the lead. A rebound from Owen in the 32^nd minute was put just wide by Alex Tonge and Krenželok looking for the hattie had a huge blast swallowed by Sabol’s chest. The Dundee keeper then showed great athleticism to firstly deny Shulga then Artur Gatiyatov who were in and around his net. The Flyers increased their lead in the 34^th minute when Martineau went down the right wing and he put the puck on the stick of Pilon at the far side whose one time shot just squeezed into the net off Sabol. Dundee called their time out to try to break the Flyers momentum. A minute later and the Flyers went on the power play as Craig Moore got the gate for tripping but the home side didn’t manage to create any clear chances with their man advantage. The final chance of a period dominated by the Flyers fell to the visitors but Own shut the door on Xavier Pouliot’s effort.

Into the third period and Sabol made another save just 20 seconds in from Martineau whilst in the next shift he was happy to hear the clank of iron as LeBlanc’s shot was deflected onto a post. Martineau did however get his name on the scoresheet in the 48^th minute when he got a tip in the high slot on a pass that went into the net glove side on Sabol who appeared slow to react. The Flyers lost Curran to the room at this point after an earlier hit. Sabol was again in action in the 52^nd minute when he held onto a deflected puck with Pilon in his kitchen sniffing out a rebound. Owen wasn’t a spectator and he had to look sharp to stop Kameron Kielly and he followed that up with a blocker save just before Pilon was called for a high stick. Kielly had the Stars only chance of their powerplay but Owen matched him to retain the three goal cushion. The Flyers saw out the final couple of minutes of the game comfortably to secure the win.

Pic Credits – Jillian McFarlane and Derek Young

The Flyers are next at home on  Saturday 5th October when they entertain the Manchester Storm – tickets can be bought online here:  Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.