Fife Flyers launch discount ticket deal for weekend home double header

The club opened a hectic December schedule with a 4-1 loss to Glasgow Clan in Renfrewshire on Tuesday night - the first meeting of the rivals this season after the west coast side’s delayed entry into the action.

Todd Dutiaume, head coach, admitted his side was not at its best, and is looking for an immediate bounce back as Flyers host Belfast Giants on Saturday and Nottingham Panthers on Sunday.

The club is offering a £5 discount ticket offer for weekend passes in a bid to bolster attendances which have struggled to break beyond 1200-1500.

Just 1100 saw the team gun down league leaders Guildford Flames last week - its fourth win on home ice in the last five matches.

Dutiaume believes his players are doing all they can to fill the seats with some of their best performances coming in Kirkcaldy.

Flyers posted a fine road win in Nottingham recently, and have seen ore than enough of Giants already after meeting in the Challenge Cup.

Dutiaume is looking to his squad to get Tuesday’s defeat out of its system.

“The performance wasn’t indicative of how we have been playing lately,” he said. “We didn’t have that hop.

“I know if we bring that level of intensity to the game then I believe we can beat any team in this league. That’s the bar we have set.

“We know what it takes to be successful in this league.”

The coach was impressed at how new signing Colton Waltz fitted into the line-up despite the very late arrival in town last week.

The 26-year-old Canadian played eight games for the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones at the beginning of this season, and then faced a long journey to Fife to make the weekend games.

“He looked great for a guy who flew in late on the Friday night, didn’t train with the team and went straight on to the ice to play three games in four days.

“He looked good and will fit straight away into our dressing room.”

Waltz’s instant start came as Fife continued to wait on the debut of Chase Schaber.

The Canadian forward signed and arrived in mid-October, but has yet to see any ice time.

The club has opted to make no comment on the protracted delays, but it is clear the continued absence – and the reasons behind it - are a source of frustration for many behind the scenes who are concerned that the issue is overshadowing the positive steps being made on the ice.

It seems unlikely Schaber will ice this weekend, leaving him without match practice for the past six weeks on the back of a long lay-off through lockdown.

Flyers could do with his presence in the line as they gear up for a tough December and a heavy fixture list.

That run of games will also include Challenge Cup quarter-final home and away ties against Sheffield Steelers, with dates yet to be confirmed.

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