The Flyers and the Stars met knowing that anything less than the two points on offer would severely curtail their ambitions of climbing into a playoff berth as the two teams sat on level points in the bottom two spots. The home side were along similar lines to the previous evening with Shane Owen replacing Christian Purboo as the starter in net whilst Josh Winquist and Garet Hunt missed out through injury and suspension respectively. The Stars gave Emil Kruse the start in between the pipes and they were without Craig Moore.
Owen made the first save of the game inside the opening minute as he got a blocker to a Kameron Kielly shot as he came down the right wing. In the 2nd minute David Booth made tracks down the left wing and his powerful shot blew past Kruse but caught the inside of the post and bounced to safety. Kruse was in action a minute later as he made saves on Anton Karlsson and Booth. The Flyers opened the scoring at 3:50 when Booth in the high slot sniped the puck top corner over the glove of Kruse. The Stars threatened in the 6th minute when Owen had to turn away a shot from distance from Jonathan McBean. Two minutes later the Fife keeper made a big save as he snagged a shot from Otto Nieminen who found space in the slot. Matthew Boudens was next to test the Flyers keeper as Owen was able to shrug off his shot from the high slot with his shoulder. In the 10th minute Kruse made a blocker save on a shot from way out from Booth. The Flyers doubled their advantage at 11:27 after Kruse had denied Giordano Finoro on the short side the puck was worked back to Ian Scheid in the high slot and his shot found the bottom corner on the glove side of the Stars keeper. Jeremy Masella took the puck end to end in the 15th minute and was denied by a blocker save by Kruse. The Stars went close again in the 17th minute when Benjamin Almquist darted into the slot and his one timer was held by Owen who got square to the shot. A minute later and the Fifer keeper was again in action as he denied Nieminen from above the circles. With 90 seconds remaining a lightning break from Booth saw him send a cross ice pass to Johan Porsberger and with Kruse sprawling in desperation the Flyers winger couldn’t find the finish.
Owen made the first save of the second period and it set the Flyers the other way on an odd man rush and Booth crashed the net but Kruse stood tall. In the 24th minute Owen scrambled to smother a shot from Spencer Naas as Stars continued to be the team with the momentum at the start of the period. Milan Lucic shot just wide of the far post in the 25th minute and moments later a tip in the slot by Morten Jurgens wrong footed Owen but fortunately for the Flyers the puck slide wide of the net. In the 26th minute Ethan Somoza from the left circle tried to pick the top corner but Kruse flashed the leather. The Stars keeper made a big pad save in the 29th minute when he kept out a shot from close quarters by Finoro. The Flyers went on the first powerplay of the game in the 30th minute as Booth was impeded going to the net and Quinn Ryan sat for holding. The Stars did a good job keeping the Flyers to the outside and Kruse had only to deal with shots from Lucic and Simon Despres as they returned to full strength unscathed. Owen made a glove save from an Almquist shot from the circles but at 32:13 the Stars found life as they capitalised on a broken play at the aside of the Flyers net and Naas was able top bundle the puck past Owen. The Flyers responded to restore their two goal advantage at 33:48 as the visitors turned the puck over in the neutral zone and Logan Neilson went in all alone to the Stars zone and his snapshot beat Kruse on the stick side. The home side added another two minutes later as Porsberger and Karlsson set up a shooting opportunity for Booth at the right circle and his one timer went top shelf on Kruse at 35:48. Flyers were out of luck again in the 38th minute as the metal work once again saved Stars as Andrew McLean this time rattled the puck off the crossbar and it remained in play only for Kruse to dislodge the net as Neilson put the puck into the net. The goal was disallowed but the Stars goalie was given a two minute delay of game penalty. Kruse made a couple of saves from Somoza as the visitors completed the kill.
Owen made a pad save early on the final period and in the 42nd minute Booth saw his snapshot from the circles swallowed by Kruse. Jonas Emmerdahl who suffered a cut following a check along the boards returned to the game wearing the #62 shirt. The Flyers went back to the powerplay in the 45th minute when Zachary Taylor caught Mason Alderson with a stray stick. Booth had two shots on net that Kruse was his equal on inside the opening 10 seconds of the man advantage. Lucic had a redirect that just went past the post as the Stars completed the kill and returned to full strength. Booth hit double figures in shots in the game but Kruse once again snagged his shot. In the 51st minute Neilson tried to beat Kruse on the short side but the Stars keeper was alert to make a stick save. Somoza was next to test the visiting keeper and again Kruse made a fine save on a short side shot. Owen made a couple of big saves in the 53rd minute as he stopped a shot from the point by Griffin Luce and followed that up to shut down Boudens in the slot. The Stars reduced arrears at 53:18 however as they worked the puck through the neutral zone and Kielly managed to find the net via the far side post. Masella made a big shot block around the crease to block a Keanu Yamamoto chance in the 55th minute. A minute later and Booth broke up ice but Kruse hung on to his shot and he then made a stop to deny Somoza on a redirect attempt. With 100 seconds on the clock the Stars pulled Kruse for the extra skater and Owen was forced to make a shoulder save on Naas. The Stars took their time out with Kruse remaining on the bench and for the final minute they pressed the Flyers defence hard but could not come up with a goal although Owen got just enough on a Boudens tip on the edge of his crease with 20 seconds remaining as the Flyers saw out the game and hit the empty net just as the clock had expired.
Pic Credits – Jillian McFarlane and Derek Young
Fife Flyers are next at home on Saturday 31st January when they entertain the Guildford Flames – tickets can be bought online here: Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.
