Concussion concern as more injuries bite deep into Fife Flyers’ roster

And head coach Todd Dutiaume revealed meetings were held with un-named individual players where the message was they had to give more.

A 4-1 loss on home ice was followed by a 4-0 shut out in the Lace City on Sunday with yet more injuries crippling the roster.

Christian Hausinger joined the worrying list of skaters on the treatment table and missed Sunday’s shut out, while defenceman Reece Cochrane is a concussion concern after a high hit took him out of the game.

The club was already minus Seth Bafaro, absent on personal leave, and forwards Lucas Sandstrom and James Spence.

Flyers clung on to their eighth spot in the league despite back to back defeats, but Saturday’s loss continued a dismal home run of just two wins in 14 league games.

The club is now on a five-game losing snap in the league, with a host of tough games hurtling its way over the Christmas period, including two journeys to Belfast.

Flyers turned in a poor performance at home to Panthers -a match which saw another sub-1000 attendance.

There were just seconds left on the clock when Flyers finally broke netminder Alex Dubeau’s shot out. By then Panthers were 4-0 up, and the points were already heading south.

Adam Brady found Brett Welychka in space at the fast post to put the visitors ahead with 7:08 played, and it was 2-0 with 1:44 left in the opening period when Tanner Sorenson found Mike Hammond for the blue line slapshot.

A third goal after 28 minutes all but killed the game as a contest - Brady reacted fastest to a rebound from a David Levin shot at the top of the crease.

Levin added a fourth with b54 minutes to play, and Fife only just avoided the ignominy of being shut out with nine seconds remaining when Brayden Sherbinin’s shot from the point went into the net via a Panthers’ stick.

Todd Dutiaume, head coach, said: “We had meetings with individual players before the game and told them we needed more from them.

“We came out with more jump than Saturday night and we had some great opportunities, Had one or two dropped it might have been a bit of a closer game, but as soon as we got the news Christian Hausinger wasn’t going to be able to play we were down to four D and then we lost Reece Cochrane to what looked like a high hit.

“Once you are down to three you are in trouble in this league and we ran out of gas.”