Fife Flyers: Belfast win a ‘good feeling’ says goalscorer Tyler Heidt

But Fife Flyers’ veteran forward also added an important caveat: “Losses are never fun, but we are definitely trending in the right direction.”

That continued in Belfast on Saturday as the team delivered a morale-boosting 4-3 win over Belfast Giants.

“You want to win, and when that doesn’t happen it does affect morale in the dressing room, but we have to keep positive and keep the right attitude,” he said after training in midweek. “We have re-enforcements coming in which is good - it’s good to see new faces arriving. Without them, you can sometimes take it that your job is not in danger, so they push you to be better and the team to improve. It can’t hurt the mentality when you think your job isn’t safe.”

Cichy admitted the Irish Sea crossing was one of his favourite road trips, but he missed out this time round as one of three players who stayed at home.

Shane Owen was also in Kirkcaldy a netminding duties were handed to Janis Voris who turned in a fine game and celebrated his first win since joining the team - the match puck was secured and taken to the dressing-room as a memento for him.

The game also marked the debut of Massimo Carroza, with coach Tom Coolen hinting strongly more new faces may be en route to Kirkcaldy.

He said: “I’m pretty proud of the guys’ efforts and what they did tonight. It’s never easy coming into Belfast and we were short staffed - we’ve never had full line up due to injuries, and the guys did a great job, and our netminder was superb.” Coolen added: “We have had points in three of our last four games and are battling our way out of a hole. It didn’t matter if this was a Challenge Cup game or not - every time we come out on the ice we try to improve.

“We had a new guy in this week and hopefully in the line up this week.Things looking up.”

The win was also welcomed in the dressing-room.

"It's a good feeling!" said defenceman Tyler Heidt who netted one of the team’s goals. "We've been in the last five or six games, really close, and just haven't been able to find a way to close it off and obviously tonight is a really good way to carry it into tomorrow and the rest of the season.

"It's been tough to stay positive over the last while, but we've been doing a good job lately, and we just have to stay with it.

“Belfast have a great team. Every time we play them, it's been a tough game, and today obviously carries a lot of confidence into the rest of the season.”

> Flyers are on home ice tonight against Sheffield Steelers who were beaten in overtime by Coventry Blaze on Saturday night. Face-off 5:!5pm.