The Flyers travelled to the Midlands for their match up against the Coventry Blaze with a depleted bench. Missing through suspension were Janis Voris and Kieran Craig along with Patrick Kyte who was still on the road to recovery from injury. Aiden Wilson also injured was scratched along with Cameron Kenny and James Spence. Youngster Caiden MacColl stood in as emergency backup netminder for the second time this season. The home side who like the Flyers had dropped their last two matches had Jakob Stridsberg as their only scratch but iced a full bench.

The Blaze had the first chance of the match in the opening minute when Michael Regush drifted a shot just wide of the net from the slot. The home side were well on top in the opening three minutes and spent most of that time in the Flyers zone as they cycled the puck. In the 4^th minute the Flyers went on the power play as Nick Seitz was called for a double minor for an errant high stick that drew blood from Lucas Chiodo. Almost immediately the Flyers fashioned a chance with a one timer from Michael Cichy being gloved by Mat Robson. The Blaze goalie did well soon after to deflect a Massimo Carozza shot up into the netting. The second half of the Flyers man advantage saw them create very little and Shane Owen had to look sharp to snag a loose puck with Alessio Luciani lurking around his net for a short handed tally. The Blaze returned to full strength and Chiodo was back on the ice with a change of jersey as he was now wearing the number 18. Charles-Antoine Paiement found Ben Brown cruising down the slot but Robson was able to shut him down. The Blaze took the lead halfway through the period when Morten Jürgens managed to find a hole under Owen’s arm on his stick side. The Flyers had a let off in the 12^th minute as they were dragged out of position by some slick passing but Brandon Alderson whiffed on the puck and then Luciani with Owen down couldn’t lift the puck into the open net. In the 15^th minute Owen hung on to a huge blast by Alexander Kuqali. A minute later and Cichy had a snapshot that Robson fought off but the Flyers recycled the puck and Noah Delmas found Tyler Heidt at the top of the slot and his wrister found the bottom corner on Robson’s glove side to tie the game. There were offsetting minors dished out in the 18^th minute as Jordan Stallard was called for hooking and Jackson Cressey for diving. In the final moments of the period Owen did well to make a save on Jürgens after he had let an initial rebound go back into the slot.

In the opening minute of the middle period Cressey pulled the trigger in the slot but Owen was equal to it to make a blocker save. A redirect in the slot in the 24^th minute forced Robson to flash the leather. The home side had the lead again in the 25^th minute following a swift three way passing move that pulled Owen way out of position and Luciani was able to slot the puck into a wide open net. Chiodo who was back in his regular number 37 jersey forced a pad save from Robson in the 26^th minute. A minute later and the Flyers were back on the power play as Grayson Constable got the gate for hooking. The visitors controlled the puck from the face off and following some patient build up Heidt let one fly from the tops of the circles that Robson did well to stop. In the latter staged of the man advantage the Flyers dug the puck out of the corner when Carozza found Cichy all alone in front of Robson and he pulled a fake through the legs move that froze the Blaze keeper who was then unable to react to stop the Flyers man sliding the puck into the corner of the net. In the 30^th minute the Blaze were penalised again with David Clements sitting for a trip on Chiodo. Midway through the power play the Flyers lost Heidt who in trying to keep the puck in the zone had it hit him in the face and he retired to the room for repairs. The Blaze completed the kill without any real threats on Robson. In the 33^rd minute Carozza made his way to the net but Robson was alert and the Blaze went the other way on a 2 on 1 that was broken up by a diving play by Daniel Krenželok without the home side getting a shot away on Owen. The Blaze had their first man advantage in the 36^th minute when Zach Vinnell was hooked by Phélix Martineau. Alderson had a wicked one timer saved by Owen’s shoulder and the Blaze went to that play again later on as Owen once again made the save and the Flyers completed the kill as the period ended all square.

Heidt returned to the bench for the start of the third period with a full face cage and also donning the number 18 jersey. The Flyers switched Ben Brown back onto defence in the early shifts of the period before Tyler got back into the game. The Blaze passed up a glorious chance in the 44^th minute when they broke 3 on 1 but they were guilty of over playing the puck and the chance was gone which then set the Flyers the other way and Martineau flashed a shot just wide of Robson’s cage. The Flyers had another opportunity on the power play in the 46^th minute when Gresock was called for tripping. Heidt had a shot swallowed by Robson and although the Flyers were patient with the puck their set up was overly deliberate and slow and the Blaze completed the kill. Gresock on his next shift took the puck to the net and Owen challenged him and was called for tripping to send the Blaze back onto the power play. The home side made their advantage count as Gresock came in off the blueline to collect a pass and his shot beat Owen on the short side just inside the post. The game was effectively killed just 35 seconds later when Blaze doubled heir lead. Kuqali went to the front of the net and he was able to poke the puck underneath Owen.  The Flyers at this stage were under intense pressure as the Blaze peppered the away net and Fife found it difficult to get the puck out of their own zone. The visitors kept battling but in the 55^th minute Cressey had two consecutive shots on goal that Owen did well to keep out before Olivier LeBlanc broke the Blaze players stick with a slash and was sent to the box. Owen shut down Zach Heinz on his short side before Martineau made a huge shot block to stop a big blast from Terrance Amorosa and then Owen made a solid save to deny Alderson who got everything behind his effort.  The Flyers completed the kill and with two minutes remaining they pulled Owen for the extra skater. With 80 seconds remaining the Flyers called their time out but with the extra man couldn’t get anything set up and the game was iced with 40 seconds remaining when Gresock found the empty net from the neutral zone.

Pic Credits – Scott Wiggins

Fife Flyers are next at home on  Sunday 9th February when they entertain the Dundee Stars – tickets can be bought online here:  Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.