WEEK 4 of the 2024/25 Elite Ice Hockey League season and the Flyers start at home on Saturday night with a derby game in the Challenge Cup against the visiting Dundee Stars. On Sunday night attention turns to league business with a long trip south to play the Guildford Flames.
SEPTEMBER 28th FIFE FLYERS v DUNDEE STARS @ FIFE ICE ARENA – FACE OFF 7.15pm
Recent Form Guide
It has of course only been two weeks since we last me the Stars when they skated to a shootout win on home ice in a low scoring game in which they were never behind to Fife. Last weekend the Stars played their second home double header of the season which saw them host Manchester Storm in the league before the Giants in Challenge Cup action. Against the Storm it was Stars first foray into the chase for the play offs and after lighting the lamp just 68 seconds in they found themselves 4-1 down by the midway point to a Manchester side who come into this weekend joint top of the league standings after picking up two wins from two trips North of the border in recent weeks. A third period comeback by the Stars was too little too late as they lost by the odd goal in nine. The following night the Belfast Giants continued their perfect start to the season and also managed to shut out the Stars in the process. After giving up three goals in the first period the home side couldn’t find a way back into the game as the Giants added two more the rest of the way for a comfortable win. The Stars on the season so far in all competitions are 2-3-1 with 20 goals scored and 27 conceded. Domenic Alberga is their top points scorer so far with 2 goals and 6 assists. Jake Elmer is leading the goalscoring race with 4 with 11 different players so far finding the net.
Last Challenge Cup Visit from Stars
Overall Home Challenge Cup Record Against Stars
P 14 W 8 L 6 F 49 A 41
Number Crunching
The Flyers will be looking to snap a three game losing streak at the Auld Barn against the Stars which equals the best ever sequence of results for the Tayside team on Flyers ice in all EIHL competitions.
The Stars have only lost once in their last seven meetings with the Flyers in all competitions.
The Flyers defeat two weeks ago in Dundee was their first in the last five Challenge Cup meetings between the sides.
This will be the 30th meeting overall in the Challenge Cup between the sides with Dundee ahead in the series scoring by 84 goals to 83.
The Flyers and Stars so far are first and second for even strength goals given up.
Dundee have conceded most of their overall goals against in the second period whilst the Flyers are leakiest in the third period.
SEPTEMBER 29th GUILDFORD FLAMES v FIFE FLYERS @ GUILDFORD SPECTRUM – FACE OFF 6.00pm
Recent Form Guide
The Flames head into the weekend on a four game losing skid having played all six of their games so far in the Challenge Cup. They have a home double header with Coventry, again in the Challenge Cup, the visitors on Saturday night before they host the Flyers in their opening league fixture on Sunday evening. The Flames opened the season with a home and home against the Manchester Storm. In Altrincham they were handily beaten 5-1 before returning to the Spectrum and eking out a 4-3 win with a game winner in the dying seconds. The following weekend in another one goal game they came out on the wrong side of the scoreline in Nottingham before they hosted the Cardiff Devils and were convincingly beaten 6-2. Last weekend a trip to the Champion Sheffield Steelers ended in a 4-1 defeat and they returned to home ice on Sunday where the Nottingham Panthers prevailed in a shootout after the Flames had secured a point with an equaliser 8 seconds from the end of regulation time. Ryan Tait is the early points leader with six of his seven in six games coming from assists. Daniel Tedesco and Matt Alvaro both lead in goals with three each and seven different players so far finding the back of the net.
Last League Visit to Flames
Overall League Away Record Against Flames
P 17 W 8 L 9 F 41 A 55
Number Crunching
The Flyers will be looking for their third consecutive win against the Flames which would be their best sequence against the Surrey side since the 2018/19 season.
Last season the Flyers had a 58.3% win percentage against the Flames which was third best against the other nine teams.
Lucas Chiodo has goals in his last two meetings against the Flames and those have him as the active top scorer for Flyers against the Flames. Brett Ferguson has most goals amongst active Flames with 10 against the Flyers, a couple behind the all-time leading Flames scorer against Fife, Ian Watters.
