WEEK 25 of the 2025/26 Elite Ice Hockey League season and the Flyers have a tough assignment on their hands as they face two teams very much in title contention. They make the long trek to South Wales for the final match up this season against the Cardiff Devils before hosting the current league leading Belfast Giants on Sunday for the final time this campaign.
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 28th CARDIFF DEVILS v FIFE FLYERS @ VINDICO ARENA – FACE OFF 7.00pm
Introducing the opposition & One to Watch!
We take the opportunity to look at couple of new faces that have iced on the blueline with the Devils this term, “I feel we needed to add some size and presence to our back end,” those were the words of the then newly-appointed Head Coach Paul Thompson talking about the addition of 6-foot-3 blueliner. Tyson Helgesen. Helgesen arrived in the Elite League ahead of his fifth professional season, following stints in the Erste Liga (Hungary) and the ECHL (North America). The 27-year-old made 39 appearances for Ferencvarosi last term, registering nine points (three goals, six assists) and 141 penalty minutes. Before his switch to Europe, the Alberta-born blueliner played parts of three seasons with the ECHL’s Rapid City Rush, for whom he recorded 41 points (eight goals, 33 assists) and 277 penalty minutes in 151 games played. Helgesen, a product of the Western Hockey League, closed out his junior career as captain of the Spokane Chiefs, tallying 101 points (18 goals, 83 assists) and 275 penalty minutes in 263 appearances. Mount Royal University was his final pre-professional stop, amassing 27 points (three goals, 24 assists) through three seasons of USports action. Talking about size then Steven MacLean is an imposing player, standing at 6’7” and joined the Devils after spending the previous two seasons with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL. He played 109 games for the Cyclones over the past two seasons, scoring 3 goals and 17 assists for 20 points. He played 4 years at Wilfrid Laurier University before turning pro after his last game in the Canadian USports league. He made the move to Cincinnati for their final 21 games of the season and then featured in 11 playoff games that year as well. MacLean initially joined the Devils to provide defensive cover following the departure of Brodie Kay and an early season injury for Cedric Lacroix who missed almost 2 months of action.
Last League Visit to Devils
GALLERY
Pic Credits – Cardiff Devils
Overall Away League Record Against Devils
P 35 W 5 L 30 F 67 A 160
Number Crunching
The Flyers are winless in their last 5 visits to South Wales.
The Flyers last regulation win on Devils ice was 18th November 2017 which is now 21 games ago.
In league play this season the Devils have outscored the Flyers 23-10 over the 5 games.
The Flyers are 0 for 9 against the Devils on the powerplay this season and the only team the Flyers have not scored on with the man advantage.
The Devils with their powerplays against the Flyers are 4 for 15.
The Devils have generated the most shots on goal of all teams on home ice so far this season.
The Flyers have conceded the most shots on goal on the road so far this season.
Brandon Estes has an active 8 game points streak coming into the weekend which is a team high this season for the Devils.
SUNDAY MARCH 1st FIFE FLYERS v BELFAST GIANTS @ FIFE ICE ARENA – FACE OFF 5.00pm
Introducing the opposition & One to Watch!
The league leading Belfast Giants look to navigate the season’s final stretch with a fresh size advantage. Ben Freeman inked a short-term contract with the Elite League leaders in the second week of February joining with six seasons of professional experience and a standout collegiate career at the University of Connecticut. The 6-foot-5 centreman arrived in Belfast from the Frederishavn White Hawks, for whom he scored 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) in 41 Danish Metal Ligaen games. Before his stint on the continent, Freeman spent five seasons in the ECHL, with a brief, and title-winning, stint in the Southern Professional Hockey League. Through 240 third-tier appearances, the American scored 109 points (39 goals, 70 assists) for the Wheeling Nailers and Greenville Swamp Rabbits, captaining the latter for two seasons. Freeman also captained the University of Connecticut Huskies in his senior year, bowing out of the NCAA with 77 points (25 goals, 52 assists) in 135 games. Freeman was no stranger to the confines of the SSE arena in Belfast having played in the Friendship Four for the Huskies. The move came about mainly due to Marcus Eriksson’s surprise January departure that left the Giants with a hole to fill up-front. The Swede scored 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) in 31 regular-season appearances from Adam Keefe’s middle-six, playing a cerebral game in his age-40 season. “Ben is a 6’5″ two-way centre that transports the puck up the ice well for a big man,” explained Adam Keefe. “He has been captain at every level he’s played, a testament to his character and leadership. He comes highly recommended from prior coaches and is excited to get to Belfast and do whatever it takes to help his team win.”
Last League Visit from Giants
GALLERY
Pic Credits – Jillian McFarlane and Derek Young
Overall League Home Record Against Giants
P 35 W 10 L 25 F 92 A 130
Number Crunching
The Flyers have a 2 and 2 record against the Giants this season at Kirkcaldy in all EIHL competitions.
The Giants just have the edge 15-11 on goals scored in those games.
The Giants are 12 for 37 on their powerplays against the Flyers in all competitions this season.
The Flyers are 3 for 19 with the man advantage in those games.
The Giants have generated the most shots on goal on the road across all EIHL competitions this term.
The Giants have played 47.66 percent of all of their matches this season with a lead which is the most of all teams.
Nicholas Guay has goals in the last 4 meetings with the Flyers.
Jordan Kawaguchi and Scott Conway lead the Giants in scoring this term against the Flyers with 6 goals each with Johan Porsberger and Ian Schediw each with a pair top scoring for Fife.
This will be the Giants 29th road game this season in all competitions which is the most of all teams.
Click the image below for your downloadable gamesheet for Sunday’s game against Belfast Giants
