Fife Flyers: no reward for huge 60-minute effort against Belfast Giants

Flyers may have lost 4-3 but they grafted hard and deserved more than just plaudits. They were worth a point and a shot at overtime - the effort/reward ratio has been badly skewed on some nights recently.

Three times Giants led without ever putting Fife to the sword. That was down to their blunt finishing, but also to Flyers staying in the game for the full 60 minutes, and going at them right to the final buzzer.

With a little luck and a sharper finish here or there, they would have got the point their endeavours deserved. The season may be over - and has been for some time - but kudos to the players who continue to lace up and give it their all. Shane Owen was the busiest netminder but revelled in the pucks that came his way, while Massimo Carozza netted a fine double, Jordy Stallard had a more effective game, and Patrick Kyte was a key returnee in defence.

The opening ten minutes were duller than dull from both sides, but the game then came to life as Mike Lee ripped a shot from the point past a crowd of players to put Giants ahead at 14:42.

Flyers saw Tyler Heidt binned on a double minor for high sticks after a video review, and they struck short handed for only the second time this season; Michael Cichy with the steal that sent Carozza away for his opener at 16:00. JJ Piccinich restored Giants lead after 18 minutes with their second powerplay, but Fife replied again as Carozza chipped in via a fine pass from Kyte at 24:15; two goals from just three shots!

Giants replied with a neat backhand from Josh Roach to claim the lead for third time at 28:28, and they had netminder McCollum to thanks for a huge save to deny Ben Brown who had been teed up quite beautifully by Austin Farley.

Into the third, and Giants’ special team struck again as Scott Conway tipped in a powerplay marker at the back post, but Flyers brought it back to a one-goal game as Charles Antoine-Paiment finished where Farley and Stallard couldn’t at 46:57.

Flyers were finally handed a powerplay opportunity after 50 minutes, but they struggled so much that coach Johnny Curran called a time out. They pulled Owen and then saw a last-gasp chance as Conway went for hooking with 25 seconds remaining, but the clock ran out on their hopes of a crack at overtime.

There is surely one more win in this team before the curtain is drawn on the season …