The Flyers and Blaze were meeting for the final time this season in the penultimate home game of the 2025/26 season. The Flyers were unchanged from the defeat the previous evening in Glasgow and were missing the injured Johan Porsberger, Mason Alderson and Rowan Mills with  Milan Lucic also a scratch. Shane Owen retained his place as starter between the pipes.  The visitors started Dershahn Stewart in net and were without the injured Sam Ruffin and they also scratched Mat Robson and Ivan Chukarov.

Just 10 seconds in to the game and Alessio Luciani went down the right wing and fired in a shot that Owen had to blocker away. The Flyers went the other way and on the 40 second mark Andrew McLean found Garet Hunt who went to Justin Ducharme for a low down tip that forced a smart pad save from Stewart as both goalies were into the game early. The visitors took an early lead however when they struck at 02:51 with William Boysen again exposing space down the Blaze right wing and from the circle he fired a shot in off the far post to beat Owen on the stick side. Almost immediately the Flyers could have been level as Ian Scheid up on the rush slid the puck just past the post from the slot. In the 8^th minute Josh Winquist with a snapshot tested the glove hand of Stewart and the visitors shortly after extended their lead. A scramble around the front of the Flyers net ended with Adam Robbins getting a touch on the puck through the pile of players to knock it into the net at 08:32. McLean lugged the puck almost the full length of the ice in the 11^th minute and Stewart held his backhand effort. In the 17^th minute Ducharme went down the left wing but Stewart was at the top of his crease to glove his slapshot. Winquist had a wide open net in the 18^th minute with Stewart stranded across at the other post but the Blaze goalie in desperation mode threw himself across his net as the puck stayed out and glanced off the crossbar. The Flyers did however cut the deficit shortly after as Scheid found Hunt with the puck and the Flyers captain came down through the circle to fire a shot into the net with Ducharme screening Stewart. The home side were level just 18 second later as Jonas Emmerdahl won the puck on the half boards and let a low shot go that found space through Stewart and into the net at 18:59. In the final moments of the period Owen got a shoulder on a shot by Jordan Power and Stewart had the last say as he denied Winquist by getting just enough on the puck to deflect it wide of his net.

The Blaze had the first chance of the second period inside the opening minute as Owen fought off a shot by Luciani. In the 21^st minute Ducharme found Ethan Somoza who from close range was robbed by a great pad save by Stewart. The Blaze keeper made another pad save on the 23^rd minute to stop a one timer from Simon Despres. The Blaze retook the lead at 23:47 as Robbins went down the slot and got a shot that Owen could only block and the puck fell to Grayson Constable who slid home the rebound. In the 26^th minute Owen was out aggressively to take the angle away for a shot by Jack Hopkins and a minute later Somoza tried to beat Stewart short side with the Blaze keeper knocking the puck onto the post before it was scrambled clear. Owen showed a fast glove in the 28^th minute to snag  shot by Archie Hazeldine from the circle. Owen was in scramble mode in the 31^st minute as he somehow managed to keep the puck out of the Flyers net. In the 33^rd minute Stewart imitated his counterpart producing a scrambled save with the net coming off and the whistle going as Hunt shot the puck. A scrum ensued and from that David Clements was called for abuse of official to put the Flyers on the first and as it turned out only powerplay of the game. Owen had to be alert to thwart a shorthanded bid by Matthew Gleason and the Flyers struggled to get anything set up in the Blaze zone as the visitors completed the kill. Owen denied Gleason again in the 37^th minute as the Blaze fashioned an odd man rush and a minute later Constable sped through the Flyers defence but Owen came up with a huge pad save. In the final minute of the period Stewart swallowed a shot from Jeremy Masella.

Pic Credits – Jillian McFarlane and Derek Young

Flyers are next at home on Saturday 4th April 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.