Fife Flyers fine start but Cardiff Devils take points back to Wales

The better side won, of that there is no doubt, but Flyers may look back on this one point weekend with some regret. They have to find ways of winning these games to stay firmly in the pack chasing play-off spots.

Devils not only outshot Flyers, but had a lot of puck time in Fife’s zone, and when they tied the game early in the third, there was a certain inevitability about the outcome as Peter Russell’s side never stopped grafting after a false start saw them fall 2-0 in arrears with less than ten minutes played.

Collin Shirley had Fife ahead after five minutes, and Troy Lajeunesse then burst down the ice on a solo skate as Devils paused after a player was hit by a puck, and his finish got the better of netminder Ben Bowns. Russell called an immediate time out, but could do little to stop his side falling 3-0 behind s Fife’s powerplay team struck at the first time of asking; Lajeunesse with a quality finish at 17:01. Devils did grab a lifeline within the minute as netminder Kevin Lindskoug didn’t hold a shot from Cole Ully, and the puck landed neatly for Ryan Barrows to turn home at 17:55.

Fife deserved the lead but the fact they were outshot 16-6 summed up the direction of travel, and it didn’t improve much in the second.

Justin Crandall picked his spot with a low shot to make it a one-goal hockey game two minutes into the period. They then tied things up two minutes into the third - Crawford with the drop pass from the right, Josh Waller with a fine tip into the net to tie.

With 45 minutes gone, Devils went ahead for the first time thanks to Justin Crandall with a neat finish to the right as the defence was pulled in all directions. Flyers had chances - some gilt-edged ones at that too - but they were left with no option but to pull Lindskoug with 1:07 to play and then call a time out in the closing seconds, but the points were already bound for Wales.

“We got off to a good start,” said Coolen, “but hats off to Cardiff. We were 3-0 up and we didn't sit back - Devils woke up and showed why they are a very good hockey team.”