The Flyers made their final road trip of 2025 and the short hop over the Tay was the first meeting of the rivals in league play this season. The Stars beat the clock to get new signings Quinn Ryan and Zach Taylor in their line up for their debuts. Jarrett Fiske got the start in the Stars net with Kris Inglis and Justin Bean scratched. The Flyers scratched the injured Jeremy Masella and Josh Winquist and Christian Purboo retained his place between the pipes in favour of Shane Owen with Giordano Finoro coming back into the lineup.

The Flyers went on the first powerplay of the game after just 60 seconds when Simon Despres lofted the puck for Anton Karlsson to skate on to and that forced Craig Moore to take a hooking penalty. The Flyers got nothing set up with their advantage and the Stars killed the penalty without the visitors registering a shot on goal. The first shot of the game on either goal didn’t arrive until the 5^th minute when Fiske made a pad save on David Booth. Purboo was in action a minute later as he made a stick save on a drive from Jackson Desouza from the blueline. Moments later the Stars were again shorthanded as Milan Luic was tripped in the Stars zone by Ryan. Ian Scheid had a shot from the point fought off by Fiske and the Stars keeper then denied Giordano Finoro with a glove save. In the final few seconds Fiske was flat out on the ice but the Stars managed to scramble the puck away to complete the kill. In the 9^th minute Purboo made a save on Otto Nieminen but the Stars were back on the penalty kill in the 10th minute when Griffin Luce was called for interference on Garet Hunt. This time the Flyers made their advantage count and a down low play by Keaton Jameson saw the puck land on the stick of Anton Karlsson at the circles and he beat Fiske short side just inside the post. In the 11^th minute Fiske turned away a big one timer from Despres and a minute later Purboo knocked away a shot from the circles by Keanu Yamamoto. The Stars had a great chance to level in the 14^th minute as Matthew Boudens was left all alone in the slot but Purboo came up big as he tracked him across his crease to smother the puck. Booth dragged the puck around Morten Jurgens but couldn’t get enough on his shot to trouble Fiske and in the 15^th minute an odd man rush by the Flyers saw Logan Neilson with a one time shot that was blockered away by Fiske. Drydn Dow on the rush in the 16^th minute tested Purboo’s blocker and the Flyers keeper followed up with a couple of saves as the Stars cycled the puck in the visitors zone. In the 18^th minute Fiske also had a double save as he denied Booth and Johan Porsberger and the period action ended as the Stars keeper flashed the leather to glove a shot by Neilson.

Inside the opening 20 seconds of the second period Scheid found time in the high slot but his effort was blockered away by Fiske. In the 24^th minute Spencer Naas from a narrow angle was stopped by Purboo. Booth took the puck behind the net in the 25^th minute and played it out front to Despres whose slapshot was swallowed by Fiske. A minute later and Booth went coast to coast as he toe dragged the puck round a Stars defenceman but Fiske stood tall to make the save. Purboo then gloved the puck that came through traffic from the point. Boudens went mighty close in the 27^th minute with a wraparound effort and the Flyers then transitioned with Finoro being denied by Fiske from the slot. Purboo sprawled next to keep out Naas and in the 29th minute Justin Ducharme was robbed by the stick of Luce as the puck fell to him at the bottom of the circles and with a gaping net the puck was deflected away. Kameron Kielly had a snap shot in the 30^th minute that Purboo knocked into the corner and moments later the Flyers doubled their lead with a free flowing move involving Karlsson and Porsberger who set up Booth and he roofed the puck over a despairing Fiske. The home side were on their first powerplay in the 31^st minute as Hunt was called for a slash. It was the Flyers who threatened first with a shorthanded bid by Ethan Somoza forcing a shoulder save by Fiske. Boudens took the puck to the net but Purboo stayed strong and he followed that up with a stop on Benjamin Almquist. The Stars almost got on the board in the closing stages of their man advantage but a desperation save by Purboo on Bradley Schoonbaert was then followed up by a clearance by Ryan Nicholson as the Flyers returned to full strength unscathed. The visitors added to their lead at 34:56 after they won a board battle and Booth stepped out of the corner with the puck before firing it high stick side on Fiske. The Stars on an odd man rush in the 37^th caused panic in the Flyers defence and with bodies flying all around a prone Purboo the play was blown dead as Hunt crashed into the net to dislodge it off its moorings.

To start the final period the teams traded odd man rushes and from the high slot Scheid saw his shot turned away. A giveaway in the Flyers zone in the 42^nd minute saw Almquist pounce on the puck but Purboo was alert to make the stop. The Stars were guilty of giving away the puck in their zone next and at 42:48 Finoro fed the puck into the slot where Somaza blew the puck past Fiske to stretch the visitors lead. The Flyers went looking for more with Lucic just wide on a 3 on 2 rush then Andrew McLean just missed the far post as he shot through traffic. The Stars went back on the powerplay as Karlsson was binned for a slash and although they had lots of possession the Flyers kept the hosts to the outside for the first 90 seconds. When they eventually worked the puck down low Purboo swept the puck away from Dow on the edge of his crease as the Flyers completed the kill. The Stars however did break their duck at 46:22 when they worked the puck to the edge of the crease and Naas showed nice hands to slip the puck past Purboo. Stars came with a pushback in the next 4 or so minutes and Purboo was called upon to make several important stops including one with his face mask that he knew nothing about as a Stars player stood in his crease. In the 51^st minute the Flyers counter attacked and good work by Somoza created  a chance for Ducharme but Fiske came up with a solid save. Moments later however the visitors regained their four goal cushion after they retained possession in the Stars zone and Porsberger gave Karlsson a slam dunk from the lip of the crease with Fiske having no chance. Just under a minute later the Stars responded as a slap pass found the stick of Boudens and his tip beat Purboo at 52:24. The Stars pushed back again with the visitors content to play on the counter attack but Purboo again came up with some vital saves. Fiske made a good save in the 57^th minute to deny a close in tip by Finoro and the Stars had a late powerplay as Jonas Emmerdahl got the gate for a slash. The Stars pulled another goal back as Boudens found Berry at the back post and he showed great hands to bat the puck into the back of the net at 57:56. Any slim hopes of a comeback were dashed as the Flyers scored again with Booth claiming his hattrick as he went to the net and the puck fell to him in the slot to backhand past Fiske at 58:29. Purboo still hade time to make another couple of saves in the dying seconds on his way to his man of the match award.

Pic Credits – Dundee Stars

Fife Flyers are next at home on Wednesday 31st December 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.