Fife Flyers made their first competitive appearance of the season at the Dundee Ice Arena as the Scottish rivals faced off in a Challenge Cup match. The visitors scratched Martin Látal, Tyler Heidt, Fynn Page and James Spence. The home side were icing Kameron Kielly in his home debut.

30 seconds gone and Austin Farley had a shot at Jarrett Fiske who let out a rebound that was almost pounced on by Noah Delmas and moments later the Dundee netminder made a save from Phélix Martineau. The home side hit back in the 2^nd minute when Jonathan McBean fashioned a chance but his shot hit Shane Owen on the shoulder and deflected over the crossbar. Flyers went the other way on a 2 on 1 with Lucas Chiodo passing to Mike Cichy but Fiske made a fine save. In the 5^th minute Craig Moore was given time to skate around in the Flyers zone and forced Owen into a save. Olivier LeBlanc was called for roughing in the 6^th minute and the Stars took advantage on their power play. Owen first made a good stop on Zachary Tsekos but then Drydn Dow had a shot hit the post and Domenico Alberga was the first to react and scoop the puck past Owen. Martineau came close in the 8^th minute with a drive from the high slot and a minute later the Stars were opened up but Fiske sprawled to make a huge save on Chiodo. The Stars immediately broke the other way and were unable to scramble the puck home as it bounced around Owen’s crease. Cole MacDonald was all alone in the 11^th minute but was robbed by Owen before Nikolai Shulga was called for a trip. Owen made a big pad save but the Flyers successfully killed the penalty before Jake Elmer took a bad angled shot that strikes the post. In the 15^th minute the Stars were back on the power play as Farley was called for slashing with Dow holding his stick with one hand. Johnny Curran led a short handed bid as he set up Delmas but he drove wide of the Stars net before the penalty expired. The visitors drew level in the 17^th minute following good work by Patrick Kyte who laid the puck across to Farley who had a slam dunk into an open net.  The Flyers ended the period on the power play after Brogan O’Brien tripped Chiodo. Fiske has to make  a couple of early saves and there was also a good shot block before the penalty expired following another Fiske save on Pilon.

Alexander Tonge got the first shot of the second period as Owen snagged it with his glove. A giveaway in the Flyers zone saw Owen have to make a save on Elmer as he went short side post. The Stars were enjoying the greater zone time to start this session and in the 24^th minute O’Brien was denied by Owen. In the 26^th minute Curran released Daniel Krenželok who was up with the play and his shot was blockered away by Fiske. Two minutes later and the Flyers almost had the lead as Artur Gatiyatov behind the net sent the puck out front to Maxim Musorov who clanked his shot square off the post and fortunately for Stars it did not hit Fiske in the back and roll into the net. Moore was inches wide in the 30^th minute with an effort from the top of the crease and at the other end Cichy deflected a cross ice pass from Chiodo but it sailed over a wide open net. The Stars retook the lead in the 33^rd minute when Kameron Kielly standing on the edge of the crease managed to deceived Owen with the puck bobbling into the net. A minute later and a blast from the blueline by Brodie Kay was deflected and Fiske had to be alert. Alberga went close in the 35^th minute but Owen did enough to stop him. The Flyers then had back to back power plays to end the period as Elmer was firstly called for interference. It took some time for the Flyers to get a play set up in the Stars zone and Chiodo had a shot blocked by Fiske before the Stars goalie then made a save on Farley. Dow was then called for delay of game giving the Flyers a 5 on 3 for 11 seconds but they couldn’t win the face off and Stars returned to 4 on 5. Krenželok had the visitors best effort before the penalty expired when he forced Fiske into a blocker save.

The third period started with a piece of daylight robbery by Owen as he stymied MacDonald who was all alone in the slot. In the 42^nd minute Pilon broke down the right wing and with Farley up in support his shot was deflected high out of play. Kyle Pouncy was denied in the 45^th minute as Owen was square to his shot and at the other end Fiske made a huge pad save on Musorov. The Flyers were pressing and Fiske was scrambling to stop Curran as he also got help from his defenceman who made a block. A minute later and Gatiyatov was stopped by a leg save by Fiske. In the 50^th minute a fortunate break of the puck allowed Elmer to skate in but Owen was his equal. Cichy was called for interference in the 52^nd minute and from the resultant powerplay the Stars did everything but put the puck past Owen who stood on his head. In rapid time he made three saves on O’Connor and eventually was able to halt the play with a glove save. The Flyers survived and almost took the lead in the 54^th minute but Cichy was just wide with his effort from a good position. The Flyers did have the puck in the net in the 57^th minute  when Curran floated the puck in from the blueline and Chiodo got a deflection to tip the puck in off the post but it was clearly played with a high stick and correctly washed out. In the final two minutes the Flyers had some real pressure around the Stars net who desperately held on to clear the puck with Fiske making a huge blocker save. In the closing 10 seconds Cichy had a drive swallowed by Fiske as we headed to overtime.

Fife had possession of the puck to start overtime with Shulga getting the first chance but he fired wide of target. Owen made another huge save this time to deny Kielly and Tsekos had a shot blocked late on as both teams played the 3 on 3 period cautiously and so we went to a shootout.

The goalies dominated the shootout with the Stars first three efforts from Alberga, Tsekos and Dow all being saved by Owen and Fiske responded with saves on Cichy, Shulga and Pilon. Elmer then scored and was cancelled out by Curran as we moved effectively into sudden death. Yamamoto with a fine top shelf finish put the pressure on and Musorov who then wiffed with his effort as the Stars claimed the bonus point.

Pic Credits – Derek Black

The Flyers are next at home on  Sunday 22nd September 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.