It was the second visit of the season for the Flyers to the Guildford Spectrum and they hoped that a change up in their normal travel plans would help yield a positive result. The visitors were without Josh Winquist through injury as well as suspended captain Garet Hunt and with Christian Purboo given the start in net Shane Owen was scratched. The Flyers did however also welcome back Jeremy Masella to their line up after the blueliner missed the last 18 games through injury. The Flames with three import goalies on the books gave Justin Fazio the start in net ahead of Taz Burma and Jake Kupsky. They were without Josh Nixon, Charlie Curti and Sam Talbot.
The Flyers got the early jump on the Flames with a goal after just 39 seconds when Ian Scheid who was up on the attack managed to steal the puck in the Flames zone and his feed cross ice found Anton Karlsson all alone in the slot and he went top shelf with a backhand finish over the diving Fazio. In the 2nd minute Nick Seitz down the left wing fired a shot on net that hit the pads of Purboo and the Fife goalie was in action again in the 4th minute when he also made a pad save on Josh Waller. The Flyers went down the ice where Ryan Nicholson supporting the rush found space in the slot and Fazio was at full stretch to get a pad on the puck to keep it out. In the 6th minute Tyler Preziuso tested the blocker of Purboo who then had to be alert to stop an effort from Matt Alvaro. The hosts levelled the game at 6:59 with a huge stroke of fortune as Jake Gravelle shot from the blueline and Giordano Finoro who attempted to block with his stick only succeeded in wrong footing his goalie as the puck went into the net in the opposite direction to the Purboo. From the restart the Flames took the first penalty of the game when Travis Brown was called for tripping. Jonathan Racine made a sprawling shot block as the Flyers broke on net 3 on 1 and then Jack Jacome went around Simon Despres who tripped him to negate the man advantage as the teams skated 4 on 4 for 21 seconds. Gravelle waltzed his way to the net but couldn’t finish as he slid the puck the wrong side of the post as the Flames returned to full strength and onto the powerplay. Purboo made a save on Brown and was then square to a Matthieu Gosselin shot as the Flyers completed the kill. David Booth broke up ice and fired in a shot that was blockered by Fazio and a minute later the visitors survived as a loose puck from a Purboo rebound found Gosselin but he couldn’t hit the target as the Fife keeper sprawled. The Flyers were called for too many men on the ice in the 14th minute but killed the Flames powerplay with the home side being kept to the outside. A Johan Porsberger tip at the edge of the crease in the 17th minute was blocked by Fazio who then made saves from Finoro and Justin Ducharme in quick succession.
The second period started like the first with another quickfire strike but this time it was the home side who lit the lamp. The Flames pressed the Flyers into their zone and the puck went back to Brown just inside his blueline and from distance he sniped the top corner stick side on Purboo. In the 22nd minute Tyler Busch was strong in front of the net and he swiveled to get a shot in that Purboo covered up. In the 25th minute an odd man rush from the Flyers saw Karlsson find Booth but the puck bobbled on the Flyers man and a minute later Keaton Jameson made Fazio work with a down low chance before the Flames keeper then snagged a Booth shot with his glove. The Flyers were level at 27:27 when Fazio came out behind his net to coral a shoot in but Ethan Somoza beat him to the puck and sent it out front to Logan Neilson who had a slam dunk into the empty net. The tie was short lived as the Flames retook the lead at 28:26 with a shot from the point by Gosselin redirected by a fly through the slot by Jacome and it beat Purboo in off his post. The Flames went close again in the 30th minute when Busch was at the back door but Karlsson tied him up enough to allow Purboo to smother the puck. A minute later and Mason Alderson poked the puck through neutral ice to release Booth but Fazio turned away his shot from the circles. A great set up in the 32nd minute by Jameson found Neilson in the slot but Fazio was out sharply to take away the net and make a fantastic reflex save. In the 36th minute the Flames worked the puck around the Flyers zone and Purboo absolutely robbed Alvaro who was set up Jacome. In the 37th minute Fazio got just enough on a Karlsson shot to keep it out and with 90 seconds to go the Flames went back on the powerplay as Masella was called for roughing.
The Flyers completed the penalty kill to start the third period thanks to a huge save by Purboo who denied Jake Coughler. In the 42nd minute Lewis Hook was wide open going down main street but Purboo once again stood tall. The home pressure paid off though as the Flames stretched their lead at 52:53 when first Seitz went close and the puck then found Jacome and he was allowed to walk in from the circle and fire high into the net glove side on Purboo. In the 45th minute a shot from Gosselin went through a ruck of players in front of the Flyers goal and just past the far post. A minute later Jacome on the rush was denied his hattrick by a fine Purboo save. The Flames went back on the powerplay on another too many men call against the Flyers as the puck landed at their bench mid line change. The Flames took advantage to add another as they took the puck into the Flyers zone with some tic tac toe passing and Cole Ully drilled the puck inside the short side post from the circles. The visitors were very much on the back foot at this point and lost another goal at 48:56 when Gosselin streaked down the left wing on an odd man breakout and his wrister beat Purboo stick side. In the 50th minute Booth undressed Marcus Tesink in the slot and went to the net but Fazio stoned his backhand effort as he sprawled across his goal. Booth again a minute later was denied by the Flames keeper who gloved his shot from the high slot. Purboo made a fine pad save on a Hook shot in the 53rd minute and the Flames were content to manage out the remainder of the game. In the final 30 seconds Ducharme and Racine tangled in front of the Flyers bench with the Flames man clearly throwing a punch and he was gone from the game on a 5 plus game for being the aggressor leaving the Flyers to end the game on a powerplay.
Pic Credits – Guildford Flames
Fife Flyers are next at home on Sunday 18th January 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.
