The Flyers visited the Coventry Blaze for the first meeting of the season between the sides at the Skydome Arena. The Flyers welcomed back Mason Alderson from GB duty and also added Joe Lynch as they remained without the injured pair of Justin Ducharme and Jonas Emmerdahl with Christian Purboo getting the start in net. The Blaze scratched Alessio Luciani after the warm up.

In the 2^nd minute Josh Winquist drove the net and had a poke at the puck as Dershahn Stewart covered it up and that naturally drew a reaction from Colton Saucerman. A minute later the Flyers had a big chance as Ryan Nicholson carried the puck the length of the ice and then layed it out front to Giordano Finoro in the at the top of the crease but he fired over. The Blaze got their first chance in the 4^th minute when Elijiah Barriga down low tried to stuff the puck blocker side but Purboo did enough to deny him. Stewart made a kick save in the 6^th minute and the puck almost landed on the stick of Nicholson but Blaze went the other way and Matthew Gleason beat Purboo on the stick side to give the home side the lead at 6:36. 40 seconds later and the Blaze doubled their lead as a broken play saw a cross ice pass in the Flyers zone reach William Boysen who on the turn fired the puck at the Flyers net and it went inside the post. The Flyers went close again in the 9^th minute and shortly after a Jeremy Masella shot from the point almost surprised Stewart who reacted late but got his glove on it to knock it wide of the net. In the 13^th  minute Saucerman on a quick transition had a chance from the slot but shot over top of goal. Purboo made a shoulder save on a rising Grayson Constable shot in the 15^th minute and moments later Barriga from down below the circles crashed the puck off the underside of the crossbar. Nicholson from the slot saw his shot deflected away in the 17^th minute as the Blaze continued to block a lot of Flyers efforts by getting sticks and bodies in the lanes. Andrew McLean then went coast to coast and his pass to Joe Lynch in the slot brought out two sharp saves from Stewart who also stopped Vlastimil Dostalek. Gleason then found space in the slot at the other end and Purboo blockered his shot away.

In the 22^nd minute Saucerman pulled a move to create space coming down through the middle of the Flyers zone but Purboo was alert to blocker his shot away. The Flyers went the other way and Finoro went in on goal but his shot was kicked away to safety by Stewart. The Blaze dumped the puck in on goal in the 24^th minute and Purboo left it to go for icing but it caught the post and  Artem Buzoverya picked up the loose puck and tried the wrap around but the Fife goalie recovered his position to make the save. In the 26^th minute Mismash danced his way through the Flyers defence and his shot was scrambled clear by Purboo. A minute later and the Flyers after heavy downlow pressure in the Blaze zone for almost 60 seconds saw a shot by McLean blocked by Stewart and then Constable sold out his body to make a huge shot block. The home goalie had a fortunate escape in the 30^th minute as a shot from the blueline by Ethan Hadden fooled him and he somehow unorthodoxically managed to fight the puck off and complete the clearance. Purboo almost immediately shut down the Blaze on a 2 on 1 and Johan Porsberger made a great recovery to tie up a Blaze stick on the loose puck. The first powerplay of the night went the way of the Flyers in the 33^rd minute as Connor Russell was called for a rough along the boards on Josh Winquist. The Flyers spent pretty much the entire man advantage in the Blaze zone and Stewart denied Vlastimil Dostalek and Garet Hunt but the Blaze successfully completed the kill. The visitors went back to the powerplay in the 38^th minute as Michael Pelech was called for a cross check off to the side of the Blaze net. The Blaze stunned the Flyers with a short handed goal as they broke 2 on 1 and Sam Ruffin was able to pick the inside of the far post going stick side on Purboo at 37:52. The Blaze returned to full strength after almost getting another shorty as Kim Tallberg went in on Purboo but slid the puck past the post.

Into the third period and Mismash split the visitors defence in the 42^nd minute but Purboo stood tall to make the save as he closed his pads. Stewart made the save of the game in the 44^th minute as Nicholson fed the puck across ice to Hunt at the back door and he stuffed the puck on net but Stewart got across his goal to seal the post. Stewart again was in action a minute later as he turned away a one timer from Winquist from a Finoro face off win. The teams took co-incidental penalties in the 46^th minute as Winquist reacted to a cross check by Russell and sat for roughing with a minor also handed out for the original infraction. In the 47^th minute Gleason created space for himself in the Flyers zone but Purboo was square to his shot and moments later the Flyers keeper made another slid save as he denied a one timer from Mismash. Another quick up beak out by the Blaze saw Mismash whacked by Hunt as he went in on goal and the referee awarded a second penalty shot. Mismash took the puck directly to the net and waited for Purboo to make the first move before sliding the puck five hole on the goalie with the goal timed at 52:30. Ruffin stickhandled his way to an opening on goal in the 55^th minute that Purboo saved with his pad and the Flyers went back on the powerplay in the 57^th minute as Saucerman was called for a hook. Winquist saw a shot go off the blocker of Stewart but the Blaze completed the kill with little difficulty. Blaze ended the game with a 20 second powerplay after Masella was binned for cross checking but they had no time nor need for further goals.

Pic Credits – Coventry Blaze

Fife Flyers are next at home on  Sunday 16th November when they entertain the Cardiff Devils – tickets can be bought online here:  Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.