The Flyers entertained the Glasgow Clan for their first meeting of the season at the Fife Ice Arena. Both sides were without key players with the visitors missing Brayden Burke, Steven Seigo and Teppo Miihkali whilst the Flyers added Didrik Svendsen to the injury list along with Vlastimil Dostálek and Justin Ducharme.

The game was just 30 seconds old when the first flash point occurred in front of the Clan bench and from the melee Garet Hunt was picked out if the pile to serve a roughing minor. The Flyers came up with a strong kill and created the best scoring chance when Josh Winquist was denied a shorthanded bid by a pad save from Lucas Brine. The Flyers having completed the kill had their own man advantage in the 3^rd minute when Cade Neilson caught Ian Scheid with a high stick, Brine was called upon to make saves from Jonas Emmerdahl and Keaton Jameson but the Clan returned to full strength. Neilson came close to the opener in the 6^th minute as his flick shot pinged the top of the crossbar  but the opener was only delayed and at 6:34 Christian Purboo made an initial save but the puck was picked up by Tristin Langan who took it to the net and stuffed it under the goalie. The Flyers goalie denied the same player in the 10^th minute and a couple of minutes later Purboo had to look sharp to shut down Brett Neumann who got in behind the Flyers defence. With 90 seconds to go in the period the Flyers got back on level terms when a Hunt shot was spilled by Brine and Mason Alderson was on the spot to lift it into the net on the backhand.

Scheid had the first chance of the second period as he carried the puck into the Clan zone but Brine was alert to the danger as he drove the net. Moments later Scheid was called for a trip to send the Clan back on the power play. Neumann had a chance but missed the net and the Flyers broke the other way with Johan Porsberger setting up a chance for Josh Winquist who was trailing the play and his shot found the bottom corner for a short handed tally. Crucially within less than 30 seconds the Clan were back on terms as Hugo Roy took advantage of a stumble at the blueline by Emmerdahl with the Fife players protesting there was interference and the Clan man went in on Purboo and beat him top shelf on the blocker side. In the 27^th minute nice set up play by Ethan Somoza allowed Scheid to drive the net but Brine produced a glove save. Purboo made a shoulder save on a Mitchell Heard effort in the 31^st minute and the Clan couldn’t bury the rebound. The visitors dis however find the net at 31:29 when a speculative shot from up on the blueline by Alex Forbes sailed through everyone and nestled in the corner of the net. In the 34^th minute Chris McKay was called for a rough on Emmerdahl and Brine made a stellar save as he went post to post to deny Somoza who was teed up by Porsberger and the Clan completed the rest of their kill. Deven Sideroff came out from behind the net in the 37^th minute but Purboo got a piece of his shot. The Flyers were back on the power play in the 38^th minute as McKay caught Porsberger up high with a cross check and he was gone from the game on a 5 minute major. The Flyers couldn’t get anything set up before the period buzzer.

Porsberger remained in the room for the start of the 3^rd period with Flyers forward options further limited. Brine made a lights out save on an Alderson tip as he threw his stick out and swatted away a rising shot with the blade and the Clan returned to full strength unscathed. Purboo fought off a bad angled shot in the 45th minute by Sideroff. In the 49^th minute the Flyers had an odd man rush and the puck just wouldn’t sit for Somoza as the Clan rushed the play the other way and on a 2 on 1 Andrew McLean made a great sliding poke check. Alderson battled hard for a puck in the 51^st minute and Somoza was close with a rising shot. The Clan had the puck in the net at 51:55 as a shot squeaked through Purboo but the ref clearly blew the whistle as the puck rolled over the line. Upon video review the goal was washed out. A big open ice hit by Richard Jarusek on Jeremy Masella in the 57^th minute drew a reaction from Garet Hunt who took his man down to the ice. The result was both players ejected from the game with the Clan man assessed after another video review a 5 plus game for checking to the head and the Flyers captain getting a 2 plus 5 plus game for roughing which put the Clan back on the power play. Sideroff dangled his way towards goal and his flick past Purboo again caught iron. With 16 seconds of the penalty kill remaining Alderson stole the puck after Joe Hazeldine blew a tyre and he bore down on Brine in the Clan net. He was hooked as he went in on goal and the referee immediately signaled a penalty shot. Alderson went forehand on the blocker side but Brine made a fantastic stop. The Flyers returned to full strength but with 90 seconds to go Scheid was given the gate for a challenge along the boards that looked more cross checking than hooking. Try as they might the Flyers couldn’t get enough puck possession and although they called a timeout the Clan held on to take the win.

Pic Credits – Jillian McFarlane and Derek Young

Fife Flyers are next at home on Saturday 27th September when they entertain the Dundee Stars – tickets can be bought online here:  Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.