This was a game that meant nothing in terms of the Challenge Cup standings for either side as the Clan and the Flyers completed their sectional play in this season’s competition. The Clan who await the outcome of the third placed team to be determined in the other group were looking to make it back to back home wins on the weekend having taken league points the night before against the Belfast Giants. Missing for the Clan were Steven Seigo who suffered an injury the previous night and they started Lucas Brine in net rather than Landon Bow with recent signing Chris Martenet making his debut. The Flyers started Janis Voris in net with Shane Owen amongst the scratches along with James Spence, Austin Farley, Fynn Page and Ben Brown who was playing with his parent club the Dundee Rockets. Aiden Wilson was drafted onto the bench after permission  was given by Romford for him to play this weekend.

It was a sluggish start to the game with a lengthy delay just 12 seconds in to allow a repair to the goal net that Voris was protecting. The Fife goalie made the first save of the game after 17 seconds when he held a shot by Chris McKay. The home side did however make the breakthrough with just over a minute played when the Flyers were called for a delayed penalty and Clan skating 6 on 5 got the puck to Mitchell Heard who showed some composure before picking his spot top shelf over the glove of Voris. The Flyers responded in the 3^rd minute when Michael Cichy intercepted a pass out of the Clan zone and set up a one timer for Lucas Chiodo who blasted one low from the circles that beat Brine on the glove side. Voris was in action next in the 4^th minute when he stopped Reece Kelly who had barreled in from the blueline to get a shot away. A minute later and Voris made another blocker save this time denying Robert Lachowicz who had a clear sight of goal. Clan regained the lead in the 8^th minute when Felix Pare got his shot away from the left circle and it crept through Voris beneath his arm on his stick side. Brine came up big in the 11^th minute when he stoned Massimo Carozza who got a redirection on the puck close in following an odd man rush but the Glasgow netminder sprawled to get a pad to the puck. The Clan broke 2 on 1 in the 14^th minute but Voris was sharp again as he shut down Cole Ully and moments later the Fife keeper flashed the leather to snag a drive by Tyson McLellan. In the 16^th minute Ully sprung Liam Finlay who skated in on Voris but dragged his shot wide. The final save of the period came from Voris who held a Martenet effort.

The second period started with Clan going close after 30 seconds when a deflection in front of the net just went over the crossbar. In the 24^th minute Nick Prkusic went in on the Flyers goal but Voris was able to cover up. Moments later Voris did well to hold on to a shot through a screen. In the 25^th minute Tyler Heidt was up supporting the breakout and his shot was turned wide by a toe save by Brine. The home goalie was in action again in the 27th minute when he just got a piece of a heavy shot by Daniel Krenželok with his blocker. Voris was again unsighted with a shot from the blueline but made the save and he made another solid save as the Clan broke with an odd man rush and got a piece of a shot from Alex Forbes to send the puck over the glass. The home side did however increase their lead in the 31^st minute and again with Rylan Schwart going to the edge of the crease he was able to screen Voris and get a tip on a Deven Sideroff shot and the puck found the corner of the net. The Flyers went on their first power play in the 32^nd minute when Ully was called for goalie interference and the visitors best chance came after a flowing three way move with Chiodo doing a fly through the slot but his redirect caught a piece of the post. The Clan completed the kill and were soon a further goal ahead when Simon Després put the puck on net from the point and it hit a Flyers skate out front giving Voris no chance. Clan by this stage of the game were well in control and Voris had to make a number of relatively routine saves the rest of the way as the home side ran up the shot clock numbers.

The Flyers had the first chance of the third period when they broke 3 on 2 but Chiodo’s pass to Michael Cichy rolled off his stick as he had a clear lane through to Brine. In the 44^th minute Ryan Foss outpaced the Clan defence and went in alone on Brine who managed to gat a piece of his shot to send the puck high over the glass. Schwartz was once again planted at the top of the Flyers crease in the 46^th minute and his tip saw the puck catch the outside of the post. Schwartz and Heard had a 2 on 1 breakaway but Heard couldn’t manage to drag the puck around Voris and as the play went the other way Darien Kielb made a great defensive play to deny Drake Pilon who had a breakaway. In the 50th minute Voris blocked  shot that he saw late as a Clan player was again in his line of sight. In the 52^nd minute the Flyers goalie had to look sharp as he flopped around in his crease to cover up a puck that was again deflected at close range. The Clan were called for too many men in the 55^th minute putting the Flyers on their second power play of the night. The Flyers didn’t get anything set up until late in their man advantage but once they had the puck settled down it was fed to Tyler Heidt who walked in off the point and his low shot beat Brine on the stick side. The Flyers had a glorious chance to really put the pressure on the home side as Phélix Martineau broke in on Brine and was impeded by Deven Sideroff which the referee deemed to be a penalty shot. Martineau went with a back hand shot that had Brine moving the opposite way but the puck clanged the post as the Clan retained their two goal advantage. With two and a half minutes remaining the Flyers pulled Voris for the extra skater and Brine made a big pad save on Jordan Stallard. Clan had a couple of long range efforts at the empty cage and with 80 seconds remaining the Flyers called their time out. The Flyers won several draws in the Clan zone but their best effort came from a one timer by Heidt that Brine swallowed. The Clan broke out of their zone and won the puck with it eventually being put on the stick of Sideroff to find the empty net from close range with seconds remaining.

Pic Credits – Glasgow Clan

Fife Flyers are next at home on  Sunday 1st December when they entertain the Sheffield Steelers – tickets can be bought online here:  Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.