Fife Flyers: one-goal game as shorthanded team digs deep

The stats will show a 3-2 defeat, but won’t show the 2-1 first period lead or the fact they kept this to a one-goal hockey game long enough to pull netminder Janis Voris in a bid to push into overtime.

Three powerplay chances went begging, and that was one key difference - if only Phelix Martineau had been fit enough to play then one of them may have dropped - as Blaze took both points back to the Midlands.

In terms of effort, Fife couldn’t be faulted. They were under pressure for spells, pushed back and skated with more self belief for no reward, but there is maybe a sense there’s a win to come before the curtain falls on this wretched season.

Martineau was joined on the sidelines by defenceman Patrick Kyte, and forward Evan MacKinnon, cutting deep into the roster, and things didn’t look good when Alessio Luciani found the back of Voris’ net with just 51 seconds on the clock. Early goals have sunk Flyers in too many games this season, but they soaked up the pressure and drew level through Lucas Chioido who raced away down the ice pad, drove the net and finished neatly past netminder Mat Robson at 14:34.

Three minutes later it was 2-1 as some quick movement saw Charles-Antoine Paiment feed Daniel Krenzelok who slotted home from inside the blue line.

Blaze drew level just after Alex Kugali had struck metalwork, with Flyers scrambling to clear their lines - Luciani tying the game at 26:06.

The Midlanders went on the half hour mark, and, of course, it was a former Fife import who found the net; Brady Pouteau netting off an assist from Kugali.

Flyers kept going into the third, with their best chancer perhaps falling to Chiodo off a rebound from a Jordy Stallard shot. Wide on the left, he fired the puck across the front of the Blaze net.

With two minutes to play, Morten Jurgens was called for tripping, Flyers made a time out and Voris hovered at the curling circle ready to hit the bench.

It took a few attempts to pull him, as Fife set up one final push, but they couldn’t get the break they needed to tie this game.