The Flyers made their penultimate visit of the season to the Braehead arena with a very short bench following the departure of Anton Karlsson and with injuries to both Johan Porsberger and Ethan Somoza along with Garet Hunt serving the first of hos two game suspension. Returning to the line up however was Josh Winquist and Christan Purboo backed up Shane Owen in net. The Clan were without Austin-Mitchell King, Brayden Burke, Deven Sideroff and Sami Aittokallio as Liam Souliere was given the nod as starter in net with Lucas Brine his back up.
The Flyers had the first shot of the game as Josh Winquist put the rubber on Souliere after just 5 seconds. It was a low key start to the game from both teams and the home side had to wait until the 6th minute before they seriously tested Owen and it was Mick Messner from the slot that snapped a shot that the Fife keeper blockered away. The Clan got on the board at 07:49 when the Flyers lost a board battle up by their blueline and Brett Neumann made a beeline down the left wing for the visitors net and went top shelf on the backhand over the blocker of Owen. In the 10th minute the Clan worked the puck around well in the Flyers zone and Owen had to be alert to stop a stuff attempt by Felix Pare who was parked at the edge of the Flyers crease. Moments later Cade Neilson from the high slot saw his shot gloved by Owen. A minute later Joe Hazeldine set up Tristin Langan at the back door but he couldn’t hit the target. Chris McKay then drove the net down the right wing but he couldn’t lift the puck over the pad of Owen. In the 13th minute Owen made a couple of saves in quick succession to deny Colton Poolman both times from distance. The Flyers best chance of the period came in the 15th minute as Logan Neilson fed the puck to Keaton Jameson all alone in the slot but Soulier made a huge stop. The home keeper then followed that up with a chest save to keep out a shot by Jeremy Masella. In the 17th minute Owen gloved a sharp angled shot by Neumann before the Clan went on the first powerplay of the game as Masella was called for interference along the boards as he held up Messner. Owen immediately made a save from a Daniel Tedesco shot but the only other threat was from Brady Risk in the final second as the Flyers completed the kill. Neilson had a chance in the final minute as he collected a loose puck at the side of the Fife net but Owen made a diving save to get enough on the puck to keep it out.
The Flyers again had an early shot on goal to start he period as Souliere held an effort from Andrew McLean after 5 seconds. In the 23rd minute Owen caught a rising shot from Joe Hazeldine at the left circles. Jameson had three successive shots in the 24th minute that were thwarted by blocks and a save by the Clan goalie. The Clan went the other way and Owen had to squeeze his arm tightly to hang on to a shot by Alex Forbes. The Clan doubled their advantage at 26;09 as they stole the puck in the neutral zone and Felix Pare was away to the races with just Owen to beat and he slid the puck five hole to find the back of the net. In the 32nd minute Hugo Roy crashed the net and the puck sneaked under Owen’s pads but Justin Ducharme mopped up to slide the puck back under his goalie to stop the play. A minute later and Tedesco tried to beat Owen short side but the Fife goalie was able to get his glove to the shot. The Flyers got on the board at 33:41 when Jameson took the puck down the right and cut it back to the top of the left circle and Neilson beat Souliere all ends up with a wicked snipe top shelf. In the 35th minute Rylan Schwartz and Roy carved out an odd man rush but they couldn’t sort themselves out and the chance was gone. Langan missed a snip in the 36th minute as he was all alone in the slot but missed the net. Moments later and Jameson drove down the slot towards the Clan net and had the puck stripped but it fell to Ethan Hadden who brought a solid save out of the Clan goalie. A Risk shot from the circles in the 38th minute hit the post and Owen completed the clearance with his skate. Steven Seigo was then called for a high stick on Winquist to send the Flyers to their first powerplay. Souliere had to deal with an Ian Scheid shot from the slot and he also flashed the leather to snag a shot from Winquist. Schwartz had a shorthanded bid well held by Owen as the Clan completed the kill to see out the period.
The Clan got the jump on the visitors to start the second period with a quick fire double to effectively kill the game. At 40:42 Jason Fram played a slap pass to the side of the net where Schwartz was able to redirect it past Owen. At 41:23 Tedesco slipped the puck into the wheelhouse of Messner who beat Owen low glove side with his one-timer from the high slot as he opened his account for the Clan. In the 44th minute Owen knocked away a shot from Neumann and moments later Langan had a shot that the Fife keeper shrugged off. Souliere was at full stretch to glove a shot from Jameson in the 47th minute and a minute later Winquist saw his shot from the slot swallowed by the Clan keeper. Neumann then got half a step on the Flyers defence but Owen was able to hold onto his shot. In the 50th minute Neilson had a couple of attempts for the Flyers but Souliere was his equal on both occasions and the Clan keeper then made a stop on Mason Alderson. In the 52nd minute Langan hit the outside of the post with Owen sprawling and the Flyers went on the powerplay again in the 54th minute as Messner was called for a slash on McLean. 30 seconds in and the Clan were two men short as Neilson was binned for hooking. Souliere was immediately in action as he stopped a one timer from Ducharme before Jameson hit the side netting with the net gaping as the Clan goalie went post to post before dislodging the net. Following that a scrum ensued and Ducharme and Jameson along with McKay and Poolman were all assessed offsetting roughing minors with Ducharme also picking up a 10 minute misconduct penalty for abuse. The Clan returned to four skaters and then completed the kill after Neilson fired a shot off Souliere’s crossbar. The game played out without any further chances for either side.
Pic Credits – Glasgow Clan
Fife Flyers are next at home on Sunday 22nd February when they entertain the Glasgow Clan – tickets can be bought online here: Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.
