WEEK 18 of the 2025/26 Elite Ice Hockey League season and the Flyers entertain a Sheffield Steelers team with an army of fans in the middle of a Scottish triple header before heading south to meet the table topping Nottingham Panthers.
SATURDAY JANUARY 10th FIFE FLYERS v SHEFFIELD STEELERS @ FIFE ICE ARENA – FACE OFF 7.00pm
Introducing the opposition & One to Watch!
The Steelers come out of the festive period 5 points behind the leaders the Nottingham Panthers. Last Sunday they arrested a three game losing streak, their longest winless sequence so far this term, with a home win against the Flyers. They will be backed by a huge travelling support as this is the middle game of a Scottish triple header having the night before in Glasgow before heading across the Tay on Sunday. A familiar face expected to be in the Steelers line up after his return just ahead of the festive fixtures is 32 year old 6’ centre Patrick Watling who hails from Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario and played his junior hockey in his home province for Guelph Storm. Immediately after turning professional in 2014 Watling split his first season between Toronto Marlies (AHL) and Orlando Solar Storm (ECHL). Patrick spent a further two seasons in Orlando before heading to the University of New Brunswich where he scored over a point a game in the 19-20 season. Back to the ECHL in 20-21 for two seasons with Wheeling Nailers where his numbers continued to impress scoring 113 points in 117 league and playoff games including 49 goals. Europe beckoned for the skilled centre as he headed last season to Slovakia playing for both HC Kosice and HC Banska Bystrica scoring 30 points in 34 games. Watling then played two seasons with the Steelers helping the club win the 2024 Grand Slam before announcing his retirement last summer. In 140 games for the Steelers, Patrick scored 49 goals and 95 assists for 149 points which makes him 38th in all time Steeler scoring.
Last League Visit from Steelers
GALLERY
Pic Credits – Jillian McFarlane and Derek Young
Overall Home League Record Against Steelers
P 34 W 9 L 25 F 82 A 128
Number Crunching
The Flyers are winless in their last 6 meetings with the Steelers who have outscored them 8-32 over that period.
The Flyers three goalscorers this season against the Steelers are Josh Winquist, Johan Porsberger and Keaton Jameson with the five Steelers scorers Evan Jasper, Mitchell Balmas, Stephen Harper, Mitchell Heard and Sam Tremblay.
The Flyers have killed 8 of 10 penalties against the Steelers this term whilst being 1 for 6 on the man advantage.
The Steelers have a plus 20 goal differential in first period play which is second best of all teams and their best of all periods.
The Steelers 15 goals conceded in first period play is second fewest of all teams whilst Flyers have scored the fewest goal in the first period with 19.
The Steelers have given up 8 powerplay goals in all EIHL competitions this season which is by far the stingiest of all teams with a penalty kill percentage of 91.5.
When winning the second period the Steelers are a perfect 15 for 15 this season.
SUNDAY JANUARY 11th NOTTINGHAM PANTHERS v FIFE FLYERS @ MOTORPOINT ARENA – FACE OFF 4.00pm
Introducing the opposition & One to Watch!
The Panthers come into the weekend at the head of the table where they have been for much of the last couple of months. Ahead of meeting the Flyers the Panthers have a testing trip across the Irish Sea to meet the Belfast Giants. One player in a Panthers uniform that needs little introduction is Great Britain international and experienced Elite League forward Johnny Curran who was signed over the festive period on an initial five-week contract. The 30-year-old has played over 200 regular-season EIHL games in his career so far with Coventry Blaze, Belfast Giants and Fife Flyers. Curran has won 15 caps for GB and was part of the roster that won the gold medal and promotion in the World Championship at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham in May 2023. After spending three years with Niagara University in the highly-rated NCAA, Curran signed his first professional contract with the Blaze ahead of the 2019-20 season which was cut short by the pandemic. He scored at just under a point-per-game for Coventry across three-and-a-half years and also had a half-season stint in Northern Ireland with Belfast. Curran joined the Flyers ahead of the 2024-25 campaign but a major injury ended his season after just three matches, before he took up the role of Interim Head Coach following the departure of Tom Coolen last December. After completing his rehab he has split this season between Norfolk Admirals and Rapid City Rush of the ECHL in North America. Speaking about the signing head Coach, Danny Stewart, said: “Johnny knows the league really well and will come in and give us immediate help. He skates very well, has the ability to score goals and distribute at the same time. We needed some offensive punch added to the roster with Fossier and Harris out of the line-up and with a couple of other guys uncertain, this gives us a boost during a very busy part of our schedule. The club has shown a great deal of commitment again when the market is very difficult.” With the Panthers currently operating at the maximum number of active non-homegrown players permitted under EIHL roster regulations (18), Mitch Fossier has been placed on injury reserve, allowing the Panthers to sign Curran. As per league rules, any player placed on Injury Reserve is unavailable for selection for a minimum of 42 days (six weeks), backdated to the date the injury was sustained.
Last League Visit to Panthers
GALLERY
Pic Credits – Nottingham Panthers
Overall League Away Record Against Panthers
P 34 W 10 L 24 F 82 A 121
Number Crunching
The Flyers are looking to snap an 11 game winless streak against the Panthers with their last win being a 3-1 triumph in Nottingham on 12th March 2024.
The Flyers have been outscored 49-13 in that stretch.
Ethan Somoza and Chase Pearson both have goals in each of the last two matchups this term with the Flyers failing to score more than 1 goal in all games and the Panthers notching 4 in each of the four meetings.
The Flyers are 2 for 10 on the powerplay and have killed 13 of 15 penalties against the Panthers so far this season.
Click the image below for your downloadable gamesheet for Saturday’s game against Sheffield Steelers
