Fife and Cardiff met for the final time this season with the Flyers looking to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Devils. The Flyers were still without the injured Phélix Martineau, Patrick Kyte and Aiden Wilson with Cameron Kenny and James Spence also scratched. The visitors scratches were Mark Richardson, Reid Duke, Hunter Shinkaruk and Josh MacDonald.

The Flyers got off to a slow start as the visitors pounced for a couple of early goals. With 65 seconds on the clock defenceman Jarrod Gourley was down low on the play and from the side of the net he lifted a backhand shot that found space above Shane Owen’s shoulder. Just 23 seconds later and the Devils doubled their lead when Owen made the initial save on a Ryan Barrow shot but the rebound fell to Bradley Schoonbaert who was around the net to clean up the garbage. The Flyers were under further pressure in the 4^th minute when a cross ice pass resulted in a one timer from Joey Martin that Owen made a blocker save on and moments later he made an instinctive pad save as Brett Perlini tipped the puck goalwards from the slot. The Flyers eventually made Ben Bowns work in the 6th minute when the Devils keeper let a rebound out from a Kieran Craig shot and he had to look sharp as Lucas Chiodo on the follow up forced a fine reaction save. The first penalty of the game was handed the way of the Devils as Barrow sat for two minutes for slashing the stick. The Flyers couldn’t get the play set up in the Devils zone and they easily completed the kill without a shot on Bowns. In the 12^th minute Evan Mosey cruised down the slot and his wrister was turned away by Owen. Brodie Kay went end to end with the puck and his shot from the circles was blockered away by the Devils goalie. Ben Davies went to the net in the 14^th minute but Owen shut him down. The Devils went on their first power play in the 17^th minute when Tyler Heidt shot the puck over the glass for delay of game.  Owen made a pad save on a Martin one timer but could do nothing to stop a shot from the slot on the turn from Perlini creeping in at his post to extend the visitors lead. With just 12 seconds remaining in the period the Flyers had the puck in the net when Jonas Emmerdahl floated the puck on the Devils net and Bowns failed to track it as it hit the top corner. The officials indicated a goal on the ice but on review reversed it and washed it out.

The first chance of the second period went the way of the home side as Daniel Krenželok was denied by a toe save by Bowns.  The Devils added another goal in the 24^th minute with a swift counter transition and Cole Sanford picked the bottom corner on Owen. The Flyers had a let off in the 29^th minute when they were guilty of a giveaway in their own zone and a tic tac toe play between Zach O’Brien and Kohen Olischefski saw the latter pull his shot wide of a gaping net with Owen dragged out of position. Heidt was in the box again in the 30^th minute when he was guilty of a hook. The Devils made their man advantage count again when Owen made an initial save on a Martin shot but Perlini standing in the slot was able to force the rebound home. A minute later and Schoonbaert went close when his shot struck the outside of the post. Owen did well in the 36^th minute to stop a mid-air bunt of the puck by Sam Duggan and as the puck went in behind the goalie he was able to find it again and cover up for a whistle. The Flyers got on the scoreboard in the 38^th minute when they laid siege to the Devils net. Bowns made stops on Chiodo and Emmerdahl before Massimo Carozza fed the puck into the slot and Craig was able to redirect it past the Devils goalie.

Into the third period and in the 42^nd minute Martin walked out of the corner after the Flyers turned the puck over and he tried to go shelf on Owen who stayed tall and got a shoulder on the puck to make the save. Some neat interplay by Charles-Antoine Paiement and Evan MacKinnon set up a chance for Austin Farley but Bowns was sharp to make the stop. A minute later and the Devils returned to the power play as Paiement sat for slashing.  Once again they took advantage as Mosey put the puck on net and Martin redirected it over Owen and into the top of the net. The Flyers grabbed a goal back in the 51^st minute as Heidt lugged the puck down the right wing and he had Michael Cichy going to the net who he hit with a pas and the puck was stuffed underneath Bowns. In the 54^th minute the Devils missed another open goal when Sam Duggan fluffed on a one timer after Owen was frozen on the play. A minute later and another gaping net was missed as Olischefski set up Gourley who could only hit glass behind the net. In the 56^th minute Martin saw his shot from the shot ping the post before he tried to go five hole on Owen as he went to the net but the Flyers keeper shut the wickets. MacKinnon made a big shot block in the 57^th minute and the Flyers finished the game on the power play as Olischefski got the gate for cross checking at 59 minutes. Bowns made a good save on Chiodo and in the last few ticks of the game the Devils survived a scramble around their net as time expired with Gourley and Paiement getting roughing minors from the scrum of players that ensued.

Pic Credits – Jillian McFarlane and Derek Young

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