Champions defeated in huge midweek road win for Flyers

Cardiff Devils 4 Fife Flyers 5 (OT)
Fife Flyers celebrate Brett Bulmer's overtime winner in Cardiff. Pic: David WilliamsFife Flyers celebrate Brett Bulmer's overtime winner in Cardiff. Pic: David Williams
Fife Flyers celebrate Brett Bulmer's overtime winner in Cardiff. Pic: David Williams

Fife Flyers claimed a superb midweek road win at the home of the defending Elite League champions last night.

The Kirkcaldy side maintained their strong start to the campaign with a 5-4 overtime victory over Cardiff Devils at Ice Arena Wales.

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The result made up a 7-2 loss on their previous visit to the Welsh capital last month.

"We asked the boys to give a better account of themselves - they certainly did that," said a delighted head coach Todd Dutiaume.

"Last time we sat back and just waited for their attack, but this time we wanted to get in on them on the fore-check and not let them get set up.

"It worked for parts of the night, others we weren't so happy with, but ultimately we got the result in the end."

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Netminder Shane Owen, as he has often been on the road this season, was the hero, saving 44 from 48 shots.

"Shane is a huge steadying influence on us," Dutiaume added.

"I think everybody in the league is well aware now what he means to our club.

"It's big performances like that which allow the guys to go out and do what they do best.

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"Without the offensive production we probably lose these games, but he made a couple of key saves tonight, and he is Mr Consistent for us."

Flyers opened up a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of action, with goals coming from Joe Basaraba at 3:46 - his fourth strike in three games - and then former Devil Paul Crowder with a tip-in on a Rick Pinkston shot at 19:19.

Devils got back into the game with two quickfire powerplay goals in the middle period, first Joey Martin scored on 24:00, then Bryce Reddick tied the game just 24 seconds later .

But the Flyers got their lead back at 35:01 with a powerplay goal of their own from Mike Cazzola who controlled a bouncing puck superbly before flicking it past Ben Bowns to give the visitors a 3-2 advantage after 40 minutes of play.

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It took the Devils just 78 seconds into the third period to tie the game when Layne Ulmer picked up a rebound off of a Joey Haddad shot, making it 3-3 at 41:18. Again the Flyers took the lead with another powerplay goal, this time from Danick Gauthier's deflected one-timer at 50:04.

Matthew Myers tied the game up again at 4-4 when he tipped in a shot from Mark Richardson at 53:11. The final seven minutes ticked down without either team pulling off the win in regulation time.

Just 1:42 into overtime, Crowder skated through the Devils defence and although his effort was stopped by Bowns, Brett Bulmer picked up the rebound and fired it into a wide-open net to give the Flyers the 5-4 overtime win.

Flyers are back in action on Saturday at home to Manchester Storm. The puck drops at 7.15 p.m.