Fife Flyers’ faltering start to league as they lose opening game 5-1 on home ice

The buzz of anticipation surrounding this new look team will weather a few bumps in the road - the league season is barely 24 hours old - but those wins need to start coming, and fast, if the team is to shoot for a top five slot.

Saturday’s performance was, at best, sticky.

Flyers could’t find any real momentum, passes were sloppy, and defensively they seemed to be always on the backfoot against a Storm side which worked harder, wanted it more, and took its chances.

True, the penalties called against Fife were frustrating and at times poor, but responsibility for the loss rests with the dressing-room.

Chris Lawrence, Flyers’ MoM, summed it up: “A learning experience and wake up call for us.”

Jeff Hutchins, associate coach, was just as direct, noting: We were lucky to go in 1-0 up. We lacked commitment in some small areas of our game and will address that.”

Flyers welcomed back defencemen Jonas Emmerdahl and Simon Fernholm, and handed a debut to Jan Kloz at centre.

They won the opening period 1-0, but much of the pressure came from Storm whose nippy forwards seemed to buzz round Shane Owen’s net every other shift.

A shot from defenceman Zack Sullivan found the outer edge of Flyers’ post after 10 minutes, before the hosts got the go-ahead goal at 18:37. Shawn Cameron did some great work on on the right boards, and a neat block from his line-mate opened up the zone for a pass to Jaane Lakkonen who executed at the back post.

Period two saw Storm handed three powerplays back to back. They struck third time lucky through Jesper Ohrvall at 30:00.

A second goal came at 31:19 when Christian Hausinger was caught in possession. Some quick puck movement saw Cam Critchlow sweeps home from the right.

Fife called a time out to try to refocus as their game became too scrappy, but they narrowly avoided falling further behind at 36 minutes when Joseph Hazeldine pinged a fine shot off the post.

The third period saw Storm build a lead which started with an immediate powerplay as Zack Hermann netted. Lawrence’s applause from the sin bin earned him a rebuke from referee Allan Craig.

A fourth goal at 45:29 was the killer. Flyers were caught surging forward, leaving Tyson Fawcett to scorch down centre ice and deliver a fine finish.

Ohrvall saw another neat wrist shot come off a post before he wrapped this game with a counter in the closing five minutes.

A big win for Storm - one they thoroughly deserved - and a wake-up call for Fife, indeed.

> Mirror of Merit: 3 Lawrence; 2. Kivilahti; 1. McKenzie