Fife Flyers: defenceman fires historic hat-trick in gutsy cup tie

Fife Flyers took a desperately short-benched, injury ravaged side to Tayside last night for a key Challenge Cup quarter-final first leg tie against Dundee Stars - and delivered the gutsiest of performances.

They knew they had to keep the score tight at the very least, and a 4-4 draw more than delivered that goal.

Flyers iced just 13 skaters as they went into the tie minus four import forwards - Janne Kivilahti, Janne Laakkonen, Lucas Sandsatromn and Chris Lawrence - as well as Shawn Cameron and James Spence.

They handed a debut to mid week signing Liam Blackburn who duly netted on his first game, while Christian Hausinger swapped his blue line role for a slot on the wing and conjured up a superb hat-trick.

Ands that turned out to be the first hat-trick from a Flyers’ blueliner in all EIHL competitions.

The result may well have drained the tanks, but it was a huge boost to the dressing-room which now has two days to rest and recover before lacing up for an equally challenging home double header before thinking of the return leg against Stars in Kirkcaldy on Wednesday, December 14.

If they do make it to the semi-finals, it will go down as a marker of the team’s fighting spirit.

Todd Dutiaume, head coach said afterwards: “If you’d told this result at the start of match I would have taken it,

“We are dropping like flies right now trying to stay healthy. To come here and put in a performance speaks volumes about the guys character.”

Flyers actually built up a strong lead in this game, and it took Stars until the third period to capitalise on their opponents tiredness to grab a draw.

Hausinger opened his hat-trick with a powerplay goal at 2:28 before Blackburn bagged his first goal at 11 minutes.

Stars responded in kind with goals from Johan Eriksson at 12:18, and Phillipe Sanche at 27:31.

Hausinger struck again, netting the rebound off Zack Phillips shot which struck metalwork and then completed his hat-trick with 1:25 left in the middle period.

Stars were finally level with ten minutes left on the clock - goals from Sanche and Howlett - but as Fife tired, they were back stopped by some superb saves from netminder Shane Owen to deny Dundee a first leg lead.

The door to the semi-finals remains wide open.