The Flyers faced the Belfast Giants in their competitive home opener of the 2025/26 season with both sides looking to get their win column off and running following defeats the night before. The Giants who lost out on home ice to the Dundee Stars scratched Sam Jones, Alexis Gravel, Brandon Whistle and Josh Roach. For the Flyers they were along the same lines as the night before with Aiden Wilson and Vlastimil Dostálek both missing and making his competitive debut in net was Christian Purboo.

It was the Flyers debutant that faced the first shot of the game after 50 seconds when he blockered away a JJ Piccinich shot from the half boards. The Giants however had the lead inside two minutes when they worked the puck over from the right wing and Garrett McFadden skated in late from the blueline to pick the bottom corner of the net. The Flyers were far from out of the early stages and enjoyed periods of offensive zone time as the cycled the puck in the Giants end but they were unable to get a shot at Jackson Whistle. The first shot and as it turned out the only shot they had on goal in the period came from a long range effort by Ben Brown in the 7^th minute that Whistle comfortably gloved. Their offensive punch was not helped by the loss of Justin Ducharme after a couple of shifts as he collided with the end boards. He attempted to return to the game at the start of the second but he was done for the night. In the 11^th minute David Goodwin snuck in behind the Fife defence but Purboo got a piece of the shot to keep it out. Marcus Eriksson fired a shot off the Fife netminders mask in the 14^th minute. Brodie Kay was called for a tripping minor in the 17^th minute and Purboo did well to deny Nicolas Guay from the slot as the Flyers managed to kill the Giants man advantage.

There was a positive start to the second period by the home side when Ethan Somoza fired a shot over Whistle’s net and the Belfast custodian then had to scramble to ensure the loose puck stayed out. Purboo made a glove save on Eriksson and the Flyers soon went the other way on a breakout and Whistle denied Somoza. In the 25^th minute Didrik Svendsen and Karl Bourais tangled away from the puck and the Flyer dropped the gloves to receive a roughing minor and put the visitors back on the powerplay. Jeremy Masella made  a huge shot block as the Flyers yet again killed off the penalty. The Flyers levelled the game against the run of play, as Purboo had made several stops faced with a relentless Giants forecheck, on 29:42 when Whistle coughed up the puck and Josh Winquist pounced to feed it to the on rushing Ian Scheid who found the corner of the net stick side on the Belfast goalie. The Giants went ahead again less than 60 seconds later as Ryan Smith danced his way through the slot to get his shot past Purboo on the stick side. Two minute later after a fine Flyers move that saw Johan Porsberger’s shot blocked the Giants broke quickly on an odd man rush and Goodwin was clinical with his finish bottom corner on the Fife goalie. The Giants had the man advantage again in the 34^th minute when Svendsen was called for a hold and with one excellent glove save by Purboo the Flyers returned to full strength again unscathed.

A couple of minutes into the final period Winquist stripped the puck from a Giants defenceman below the goal line and fed it to Porsberger who was shut down by Whistle who was square to the shooter. Purboo snagged a shot from the slot by Conway in the 44^th minute. The Giants were again on the power play in the 47th minute as Kay got the gate for a hook and the home side did well to survive the delayed 6 on 5 action as the Giants hemmed them in their own zone. Keaton Jameson fashioned a short handed chance with Whistle looking sharp to close up his near post and the Flyers once again completed the kill. Whistle fought of a shot from the top of the circles and in the 51^st minute a blast from Gabe Blast clipped the top of the crossbar. The Giants put the game to bed at 52:48 with another play where the trailing man was able to find time and space to pick his spot and it was Bast who put the puck low into the net. The Flyers never say die attitude was typified in the 58^th minute with shot blocks by both Masella and Porsberger. With 90 seconds to go the Giants were penalised when Piccinich was called for a high stick but on the Flyers first man advantage of the night they couldn’t find another consolation.

Pic Credits – Jillian McFarlane and Derek Young

Fife Flyers are next at home on Sunday 21stSeptember 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.