Both teams managed to end their recent losing skids the night before as the Flyers and Flames squared up for the first of their six meetings in the league this season. Flyers were without the injured duo of Martin Látal and Johnny Curran who left the game the previous night. Guildford who also played at home the previous evening started Jake Kupsky rather than Eamon McAdam and were without the injured Brett Welychka.

Just over a minute gone and Maxim Musorov had the first shot of the game which was held by Kupsky. Lucas Chiodo was next to threaten for the visitors when in the 3^rd minute he picked up a loose puck and fired from the left circle but Kupsky swallowed his effort. The Flames had the puck in the next in the 5^th minute when Ryan Tait spun around in the slot and his shot went through Shane Owen’s five hole. The Flyers used their Coach’s Challenge as a Flames player had skated across Owen’s crease and made contact with the goalies left pad. The refs reviewed the play and the goal was washed it out. Daniel Krenželok from an angle next tested Kupsky in the 12^th minute and Flames to this point had yet to register a shot on Owen as they either missed the net or had their efforts blocked. Owen’s first save came in the 13^th minute and it was Tait again who was the danger man but from close range the Fife netminder shut him down. Moments later Chiodo was played in but from a tight angle the Flames keeper saved although it almost snuck through his legs and required to be cleaned up one of his defencemen. Tyler Heidt let one go from just inside the blueline but Kupsky held on. In the 15^th minute Owen had to look sharp as Flames were hacking and whacking around his crease before Musorov at the other end weaved his way into the Flames zone and zinged one off Kupsky’s blocker.  The first penalty of the night went the way of the Flyers with Austin Farley called for a hook and the home side made the Flyers pay when Owen let out a rebound from Charlie Dodero and Tait was on hand to scoop the loose puck home. Owen made another save in the 18^th minute as he held a shot from the face off dot. Some nice passing by the Flyers moments later saw Nikolai Shulga trying to beat Kupsky on the short side but he was denied. With 13 seconds to go Krenželok was called for a cross check and 5 seconds later Phélix Martineau was binned for exactly the same infraction leaving the Flames starting the second period with a long 5 on 3 man advantage.

The Flyers buckled down to kill the penalty to start the second and Patrick Kyte made a huge shot block before Owen made a stellar save on Daniel Tedesco. Olivier LeBlanc also made a shot block before Tedesco was called for holding the stick as the teams then skated 4 on 3 for 30 seconds. Jake Coughler was denied by a great pad save from Owen and the Flyers returned to full strength to go on a man advantage before the linesman indicated a too many men call against them which was overturned by the referee. Austin Farley had a chance in close before Owen made another fine save this time on Matt Alvaro as the Flames killed the Flyers power play. In the 24^th minute Shulga almost snuck the puck under the pads of Kupsky from close range but the Flames were back on the power play a minute later as Kyte was called for a cross check. Owen had to make a solid pad save on a Tait one timer and as the penalty was almost over Musorov had a shorthanded bid that Kupsky dealt with. Jack Jacome from distance had a shot go in and out of Owen’s glove. The Flyers tied the game in the 30^th minute when Musorov stripped the puck at the Flames blueline and passed to Lucas Chiodo who fed the puck cross the slot to Michael Cichy and his effort squeezed under the pads of Kupsky and into the net. Flames almost regained the lead two minutes later when a sweeping move ended with a drop pass to Lewis Hook who rang the puck off the crossbar. Musorov was next to threaten moments later when his shot was held by Kupsky and Flames Head Coach Paul Dixon decided to call his time out. From the face off Shulga had a shot gloved by Kupsky. The Flyers went back on the power play in the 35^th minute when Kyle Locke took a holding penalty on Musorov and got a two minute misconduct tagged on. The first half of the man advantage saw the Flyers without any threat on the Flames goal. Cichy had a close in tip held by Kupsky but the Flames almost went in front with a short handed effort as Lewis Hook went in all alone on Owen who came up with a big pad save. The Flames killed the remainder of the penalty as the teams went to the room all square.

Tedesco had the Flames first chance in the third when he went around the back of the Fife net and tried a wraparound that Owen snuffed out. In the 43^rd minute Daniel Catenacci was stopped by Owen and it sparked an almighty scramble around his net that the visitors were fortunate to survive. Flames took the lead in the 44^th minute when Locke at the point fired the puck goalwards and it found Coughler’s stick at the back post and deflected high into the net. A minute later there was another Flyers power play chance when Musorov was tripped by Dodero. Martineau fired wide and Kupsky gloved a Pilon shot as the Flames completed another strong kill. The home side doubled their lead in the 49^th minute with Owen making the initial save to then have the puck go between his legs and across the crease where Jacome reacted quickest to score into the unguarded cage. Flames were on the power play again in the 51^st minute when Heidt was called for tripping Tait. Catenacci forced a big pad save from Owen who then had to scramble to deny Alvaro. The kill was completed after Owen and LeBlanc made a goal line stand making blocks when a goal seemed certain. A Pilon drive from the circles was blockered away in the 52^nd minute. Alvaro went around the back of Owen’s net in the 56^th minute but the Fife keeper without a stick made a shoulder save as the Flames man came out front and fired in a shot. Brett Ferguson made a brave shot block in the 57^th minute on a Krenželok drive and with 150 seconds to go the Flyers called their time out and pulled Owen for the extra skater. Flames however iced the win when the puck was bobbled at the Flames blueline and Jacome took control to skate up ice and hit the yawning cage. Kyte rang a shot of the post with just over a minute to go and in the final 20 seconds Kupsky made a save on Musorov skating down the left wing.

Pic Credits – John Uwins

Fife Flyers are next at home on  Saturday 5th October when they entertain the Manchester Storm – tickets can be bought online here:  Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.