Fife Flyers face tough test against Glasgow Clan in final 2024 game on home ice

They take on Glasgow Clan in a festive fixture which has, over the years, produced its fair share of sparks.

It promises to be another tough test for Fife who have won just two league games all season, but have shown signs of recovery under interim coach Johnny Curran while still battling key absences from the roster and a mental fragility that the club has sought to protect amid a period of incredible turmoil. Phelix Martineau is set to sit this one out as he recovers from injury, and he will be a big miss in what promises to be a physical contest.

Clan have locked into a good run of form with seven wins in nine starts, including a 5-1 routing of Belfast Giants on Boxing Day. That game saw some fights in the opening period of which coach Corey Neilson said: “Love it! That’s the way hockey should be. It should be aggressive with people angry and upset and physically competitive. It is a pure, beautiful game and it (fighting) has its place.”

He described his side as a “physically competitive team” - a clear indication of what lies ahead for a Fife side that has not been the most physical of teams this season.

Curran needs his key imports to dig deep once more and come up with a solid 60-minute game ahead of the Hogmanay return at Braehead. At Dundee in midweek, they forged an early lead, but saw a one-goal game slip away from them after two separate contentious major penalties saw Olivier LeBlanc ejected, and Ryan Foss hit with a 2+10 for abuse.

Both players are back in the line-up tonight along with British skaters Aiden Wilson and Ben Brown, while both import netminders, Shane Owen and Janis Voris are listed.

> Flyers postponed trip to Belfast Giants has been rescheduled for Wednesday March 26.