The Flyers made their first visit of the season to Planet Ice Altrincham with the earlier two games against the Manchester Storm in Kirkcaldy being shared following a win each. The Storm were looking to break a six game losing skid and scratched Tyler Hinam. For the visitors Janis Voris, Nikolai Shulga along with two-way players James Spence, Fynn Page, Ben Brown and Aiden Wilson were all scratched.

Shane Owen made the games first save in the 2^nd minute as the Storm were looking for a close in tip around his crease but he stood firm. Daniel Krenželok gave Evan Weninger his first action of the night in the 3^rd minute when he smothered the shot from the point. Moments later Weninger had difficulty with a Jordan Stallard back hand shot that he fought off. Owen made a save from a Joe Morrow wrist shot from the top of the slot in the 4^th minute and shortly afterwards the Storm went on the first power play of the night as Patrick Kyte shot the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty. Owen had to flop on the puck in a scramble around his crease following some patient set up play by the Storm. Ryan Foss stickhandled the puck up ice on a shorthanded bid and forced a save from Weninger. The Flyers had another breakaway with a 2 on 1 with Phélix Martineau testing Weninger with a shot who padded the puck away as the Flyers completed the kill. Weninger was again in action in the 7^th minute when he got a pad on a shot from Foss from the circles. In the 10^th minute a Chase Harrison slap shot from the blue line was blockered away by Owen. In the 15^th minute Jake Durflinger was denied twice by Owen in a matter of seconds as he saw the Fife keeper get a pad on his first shot and then make a fantastic toe save at full stretch to stop a close range tip. Ther were offsetting minor roughing penalties for Tyler Heidt and Durflinger before Patrick Kyte found himself back in the penalty box in the 16^th minute as he was called for interference. The Flyers again looked dangerous with another shorthanded chance by Michael Cichy which again called Weninger into action. The Storm couldn’t get a clean sight of the Flyers goal who had one further shorthanded chance with Martineau forcing a save from Weninger as the visitors returned to full strength. With 90 seconds to go in the period Owen Griffiths found himself all alone with just Owen to beat but the Fife keeper made the save. The Storm were on the power play again in the 19^th minute when Foss got the gate for a slash. With only 10 seconds remaining on the clock the Storm opened the scoring when Owen was about to glove the puck on the ice but it was tipped to Grant Herbert who had a simple tap in at the post. The goal released the bears from the stands.

Owen had the first save of the second period when he stopped a spin around shot by Alexis D’Aoust in the opening minute. The Storm came even closer in their next attack but a wicked shot skimmed the crossbar. Madi Dikhanbek forced Weininger’s first save of the middle period in the 23^rd minute when he was denied in the slot. Storm cycled the puck well in the Flyers zone in the opening five minutes but without seriously troubling Owen. In the 25^th minute the Flyers had a chance as the puck broke to Michael Cichy in the slot but he couldn’t get a handle on it with just Weninger to beat. In the 27^th minute a tight angled shot by Stephen Johnson flew across the face of the Flyers goal. The Flyers broke up ice with Noah Delmas up supporting the rush before he passed over the Cichy coming down the right wing but Weninger snuffed out the danger. In the 30^th minute Weninger went post to post and somehow with Martineau and Cichy trying to get a vital touch the puck stayed out of the Storm net. Weninger was becoming increasingly busier and Massimo Carozza had the next Flyers chance but once again the home goalie stood his ground. The Flyers had an odd man break in the 34^th minute but again a final touch proved elusive for the Cichy, Chiodo and Martineau line. Owen then produced a big glove save to deny Dallas Ehrhardt from close quarters. In the 35^th minute Loren Ulett took exception to  a mid ice hip check by Dikhanbek and was penalized for roughing to put Flyers on their first power play. Weninger made a shoulder save to deny Cichy but he could do  nothing about a tip from Martineau who was planted on the lip of his crease as he tipped a Chiodo pass through the goalies legs to tie the game. Just over a minute later the Flyers took the lead when Austin Farley got the puck out to the front of the net and Drake Pilon slid on his stomach to get his stick on the puck and it found its way into the net. Flyers tails were up and in the 38^th minute they were on the rush again when Chiodo drove the net and collided with Weninger. The Storm went back on the power play with goaltender interference the call. The Storm quickly got the game tied up again when a Joe Morrow shot from the blue line was tipped past Owen by D’Aoust. The play was reviewed for a high stick but the call on the ice was upheld. In the 39^th minute Pilon intercepted the puck in neutral ice and drove down then left wing before firing a shot that Weninger snapped the glove on. Foss had the final chance of the period as he drifted a shot over the crossbar from the slot.

After a cautious opening few minutes to start the 3^rd period Heidt went on a mazy skate with the puck down the ice and Weninger almost had it deflect past him as he sat on it to make the save. The Flyers who made a bright start to the period were suddenly under pressure and Owen stood on his head in the 44^th minute when he sprawled post to post to deny Craig Martin with a diving save on his goal line. The Storm regained the lead again in the 46^th minute when they won a face off in the Flyers zone and put the puck back to Morrow at the point. His shot through a crowd of players went just inside the far post. In the 48^th minute the Storm threatened again when they played the puck around the Flyers net and D’Aoust fired just wide. A minute later and a sweeping move by the Flyers saw the puck fed to Martineau down below the circles but Weninger got square to the shooter to make the save. Owen made a big pad save on Stephen Johnson after Storm forced a turnover in the Flyers defensive zone. The Flyers came close in the 56^th minute when they surged down the ice and Martineau was just wide with his effort. Brodie Kay decided to drive the Storm zone in the 58^th minute and Weninger deflected his shot over with his shoulder. D’Aoust had a clear look at Owen moments later but he pulled his shot wide of target and with 68 seconds remaining the Flyers forced a face off in the Storm end and called their time out. Owen was pulled for the extra skater and Storm won the first three draws as they were content to ice the puck. Eventually getting the puck down the ice without an icing the Storm iced the game with an empty netter when Johnston pick pocketed the puck from a Flyers defender and his mishit shot slithered into the unguarded cage.

Pic Credits – Manchester Storm

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