WEEK 28 of the 2024/25 Elite Ice Hockey League season and the Flyers start of with a home game against the league leading Belfast Giants before heading south on Sunday to take on the Nottingham Panthers.
SATURDAY MARCH 15th FIFE FLYERS v BELFAST GIANTS @ FIFE ICE ARENA – FACE OFF 7.15pm
Recent Form Guide
The Giants last faced the Flyers in the middle of February and following their convincing win on home ice Belfast retained top spot in the standings although with some indifferent results since then their margin of lead has been reduced to three points coming into this weekend. In their next outing they travelled to meet the Sheffield Steelers who produced a stunning comeback with five unanswered goals in the final period to take the 5-2 win. The following weekend the Giants appeared to be back on track with a home double header against the second placed Cardiff Devils. The Giants this time came through strong in the final period to take the first meeting 4-1 but the next night there was little doubt of the outcome as the Devils were blanked 6-0 . The Giants then visited Nottingham holding a 3 goal lead from the first leg of the Challenge Cup semi-final and they squeaked through as the Panthers blanked them for the first time this season but came up short by a goal. A trip to face the Storm in Manchester followed and the home side battling for the final play off spot came out on top by the odd goal in seven. Back on home ice the Giants then welcomed Scottish visitors in consecutive games with the Glasgow Clan prevailing 3-2 in overtime and the Dundee Stars then pulled off a similar result but this time within regulation. The Giants second game last weekend saw them travel to the Spectrum and they avoided going five straight games without a win with two goals in the final 60 seconds to edge the Flames 3-2. On Wednesday night the Giants and Devils met at the SSE Arena to contest the first silverware of the season with the Giants triumphing 4-0.
Last League Visit from Giants
Overall Home League Record Against Giants
P 29 W 3 L 26 F 59 A 149
Number Crunching
The Giants have won their last three games against the Flyers this season all of which have been in the league.
The Flyers have one win against the Giants in the league at Fife Ice Arena in their last dozen games.
In the seven meetings between the teams this season the Giants gave outscored the Flyers 40-16.
In all EIHL competitions between the two teams the Flyers are closing in on their 200th goal against the Giants who are nearing 400 against the Flyers.
The Giants have had hat trick scorers in the last two meetings between the teams.
JJ Piccinich is the Giants top scorer against the Flyers this season with 6 goals whilst Massimo Carozza and Phélix Martineau lead the way for the Flyers in these games with 3 goals.
Massimo Carozza has goals against the Giants in the last three meetings
15 different Giants players have found the net against the Flyers this season with 10 different Flyers on target in the games played so far.
The Giants lead all teams across all EIHL competitions with 9 shutouts on the season with the Flyers and Storm the only teams yet to shut out an opponent.
The Giants lead all teams for most shots on goal per game average and also tops for the fewest shots on goal against per game average.
SUNDAY MARCH 16th NOTTINGHAM PANTHERS v FIFE FLYERS @ MOTORPOINT ARENA – FACE OFF 4.00pm
Recent Form Guide
The Panthers and Flyers last met just a couple of weeks ago when Nottingham came through late in the game to seal both points at Fife Ice Arena. The following midweek the Panthers hosted the Glasgow Clan who took both points from the Motorpoint Arena with a 4-2 win. Last weekend Nottingham were involved in a couple of low scoring tight affairs as they firstly edged the Sheffield Steelers 2-1 in a shootout on home ice. The following night they travelled to Cardiff and the two teams were still deadlocked after regulation time with the Devils picking up both points scoring the only goal of the game in overtime. The Panthers visit the Manchester Storm ahead of their meeting with the Flyers.
Last League Visit to Panthers
Overall League Away Record Against Panthers
P 32 W 10 L 22 F 78 A 108
Number Crunching
The Flyers will be looking to snap a 6 game losing streak against the Panthers who have also won on their last four visits to Fife Ice Arena.
The Panthers have outscored the Flyers 23-7 over their five league wins this season.
15 different Panthers players have found the net against the Flyers this season with 5 different Flyers finding the net in the five games.
Kristoff Kontos with 4 goals has top scored for the Panthers against the Flyers so far this season whilst Lucas Chiodo and Kieran Craig lead for the Flyers with 2 goals.
The Panthers have had an 8 game winning streak this season which is the joint best sequence along with the Sheffield Steelers and Belfast Giants.
The Panthers have the second best goals against per game average in all EIHL competitions this term and in the first period have conceded just 27 which is 20 percent of their total.
The Flyers and Panthers have the scored the fewest goals from the blueline across all competitions this term.
On special teams the Panthers are 3 for 15 and the Flyers 2 for 13 on the power play in the games between them this season.
