Fife Flyers get league campaign off to a winning start in Coventry

Coventry Blaze 1 Fife Flyers 4
Chase Schaber celebrates after firing Fife Flyers into the lead in Coventry. Pic: Scott WigginsChase Schaber celebrates after firing Fife Flyers into the lead in Coventry. Pic: Scott Wiggins
Chase Schaber celebrates after firing Fife Flyers into the lead in Coventry. Pic: Scott Wiggins

Fife Flyers got their Elite League campaign off to a winning start with a road win over Coventry Blaze at the Skydome last night.

Goals from Chase Schaber, Danick Gauthier and Paul Crowder put Flyers 3-1 ahead before Gauthier clinched the victory with an empty-netter near the end.

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After his Challenge Cup shut-out in Dundee the previous week, netminder Adam Morrison produced another man of the match display stopping 44 of the 45 shots faced.

Blaze's goal was scored by former Fife player Evan Bloodoff on the powerplay, meaning Flyers have yet to concede an even-strength goal in three games so far this season.

Head coach Todd Dutiaume said: "I thought the first 10 minutes of our game was fantastic.

"We had a game-plan and they executed it well, but it got scrappy after that.

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"The Blaze regrouped when they had that big powerplay, they looked dangerous, and to be fair to them, I think they left a few chances out there,

"There were a lot of pucks laying around the net they didn't bury - we countered at times and made our opportunities count."

Schaber fired Flyers into a seventh minute lead and it took Blaze until 27.44 to hit back through Bloodoff while James Isaacs sat out for holding.

Flyers regained the lead within a minute through Gauthier's smart finish, and extended their lead five minutes into the third period through Paul Crowder's effort.

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Blaze withdrew netminder Jamie Phillips for an extra skater in the closing stages, but as he did in Dundee last Sunday, Gauthier struck the empty net to settle the contest with 65 seconds remaining.

Flyers host Nottingham Panthers in their second Elite League match tonight, face-off 6.30 p.m at Fife Ice Arena.

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