The Flyers welcomed the Guildford Flames for the final meeting of the sides this season. Phélix Martineau returned to home bench following injury with Aiden Wilson, Ben Brown Jānis Voris, James Spence and Joe Lynch all scratched. The visitors scratched Kyle Locke, along with captain Brett Ferguson and Jake Coughler.

Shane Owen made the first save of the game when he gloved a shot from Mike Crocock from the right circle. The Flyers went on the first power play when Austin Glover was called for a slash on Brodie Kay. Jake Kupsky saw his first serious action as he had to deal with one timers from Austin Farley and Olivier LeBlanc as the visitors returned to full strength. Charles-Antoine Paiement broke free of the Flames defence in the 6^th minute but was thwarted as he shot by a great poke check by Zack Hoffman. Owen came up with a big pad save in the 7^th minute as Travis Brown snuck in on the far side and from the slot let a shot go. Kupsky turned away a shot by Massimo Carozza with his stick in the 9^th minute on a delayed penalty call as Sam Jones was binned for hooking to send the Flyers back on the power play. Lucas Chiodo tried to go top corner but Kupsky was alert to turn the puck over the bar with his stick and as the visitors returned to full strength Ryan Tait hit the outside frame of the goal from an angle. Owen was busy in the 12^th minute as he made four stops all on Daniel Tedesco, the first two from close range then he swallowed a huge blast from the slot. Tedesco was denied again with a close in tip which saw a fine reaction from the Fife goalie. The Flyers had a chance in the 15^th minute when Michael Cichy broke 2 on 1 with Chiodo and the latter saw his shot turned aside by the Flames keeper. Moments later Owen made a huge save as Josh Waller found space to drive the net as the Flyers were penalised for interference and Jonas Emmerdahl headed to the box. Owen started the penalty kill with two saves on Brett Welychka but he could do nothing to prevent the visitors taking the lead when Matt Alvaro set up Jack Jacome on the edge of the crease to lift the puck into the Fife net. In the 18^th minute Evan MacKinnon had his shot blockered away by Kupsky.

The Flames went back on the powerplay in the opening minute of the second period as Emmerdahl was called for boarding. Owen was next in action to make a save on Waller and soon followed that up by denying Alvaro then Brown. With 6 seconds remaining Daniel Catenacci got the gate for the Flames after he slashed the stick out of the hands of Tyler Heidt. The Flyers were soon on the powerplay as Kupsky held a big blast from Chiodo. The Flames survived a breakout by the Flyers as Martineau fed the puck rink wide to Kieran Craig who then tried to find Carozza in the slot but the puck bobbled away and the chance was gone with Kupsky all at sea. The visitors returned to full strength and soon doubled their lead as Tedesco went strongly to the net and somehow the puck bounced in behind Owen. In the 28^th minute Glover got in behind the Flyers defence but Owen shrugged away his shot. A minute later and the Flames created a turnover and Brown fed the puck to Ethan Strang who outwaited Owen before firing his shot five hole. In the 31^st minute the Flyers were back on the penalty kill as Heidt was called for tripping. The home side almost fashioned a shorthanded goal as Craig and Carozza raced away but Kupsky stood tall and the Flyers completed the rest of their kill to return to full strength. The Flames added a fourth goal in the 33^rd minute when Brown put the puck on net from the point and Sam Talbot standing in the slot deflected it past Owen. The Flyers broke 3 on 1 in the 34^th minute but Craig had the puck roll off his stick at the vital moment. The Flyers returned to the man advantage in the 36^th minute when Marcus Tesink caught Chiodo with a high stick. The Flyers made it count as Carozza feathered a nice pass inside the Flames box to MacKinnon who redirected it high over Kupsky for his first ever professional goal. In the final minute of the period Kupsky fought off a bad angled shot by Paiement.

Just 35 seconds into the final period and there was some concern for Owen who made a save on Alvaro but fell awkwardly and was clearly shaken up but after a few minutes he was able to stay in the game. The Flames went onto the powerplay again in the 41^st minute when Jordy Stallard was assessed a slashing penalty. With 35 seconds of the man advantage remaining the sides were evened up as Waller was sent to the bin on a tripping call as the sides skated 4 on 4. Flyers returned to full strength and onto the powerplay as Chiodo tested Kupsky with a shot that went in and out of the goalies glove as the Flames completed the kill. In the 46^th minute Strang couldn’t get enough on a slap pass with plenty of net to aim for and a minute later Owen came up big with a left pad save on Talbot. The Flyers keeper made another fine leg extension save on Jacome and then denied Zack Hoffman when he sealed his near post. The visitors extended their lead when they won a puck battle in the Flyers zone and Hook set up Tesink with plenty of space and his shot found the corner of the net. The Flyers quickly pulled a goal back when Paiement carried the puck into the Flames zone and dropped it to Stallard who drifted a shot just inside the far post on Kupsky. On the restart Cichy had a chance in the slot but he pulled his shot wide of the target. The Flames added another in the 53^rd minute when Waller found Tait in front of the net and he was able to redirect the puck high over the glove of Owen. Daniel Krenželok was assessed a boarding call in the 54^th minute and the Flames added another on the powerplay but not before Owen made a lights out save going post to post to stone Jacome but he could do nothing to stop Welychka who picked the top corner over his glove. The Flyers were on the power play again in the 57^th minute but the Flames completed the kill and with 90 seconds to go the visitors returned to the man advantage as Martineau was given the extra penalty for a slash in a melee in front of the Flames net as he and Cichy along with Jones and Tesink were all charged with offsetting roughing minors.

Pic Credits – Jillian McFarlane and Derek Young

Fife Flyers are next at home on Sunday 30th March when they entertain the Sheffield Steelers – tickets can be bought online here:  Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.