Fife Flyers sunk by first period goal blitz from Dundee Stars

If someone blew the final whistle on the season right now, I doubt many players or fans would object. Sunday’s 8-3 loss at home to Dundee Stars was their third loss in five days, and the 18th in their last 19 outings.

The ingredients were all too familiar - the hope that came from a bright start where chances were created, but scorned, followed by a caving in as Stars racked up five goals, three of them inside 90 seconds to all but kill this game as a contest before the first buzzer.

A change of goalie followed, Flyers pushed back again, but Stars were in control and able to deliver a few more morale-sapping goals in the third.

It is truly soul destroying to watch this great team slog its way through games for zero return. There’s a ‘for sale’ sign on the dressing room door, but it feels like a club in need of a rescue mission; and one that emerges quickly. “I hope this isn’t the last time we are here” said Stars coach Marc Lefebvre as he wrapped his post-game media duties. It’s a sentiment shared by many across the league.

The moments Flyers do rally are a reminder of how things used to be. Finding the energy levels - physically and mentally - is clearly getting harder for a team that is simply shell-shocked.

The opening minutes of this game were their best, and, with a sharper touch and a bit of finesse in front of goal, they could easily have carved out an early lead. They looked lively, and created some fine chances before Stars struck twice inside 40 seconds; Phillipe Sanche with some good movement in Fife’s zone shooting under Janis Voris - the netminder will want that one back - and Kameron Kielly was already at the back post ahead of a pass from Dominic Alberga to sweep home.

The roof caved in towards the end of the period as Stars went from 2-0 to 5-0 with lightning speed; Spencer Naas netting at 13:13, Sanche getting his second at 14:03, ditto Kielly at 14:39.

Flyers called a time out between the fourth and fifth - they had to - before the tireless Lucas Chiodo bagged a rebound from a Ryan Foss shot at 17:17 in their best, most flowing move. Shane Owen replaced Voris at the start of the second and instilled some stability in their zone with a few big saves, but the middle period was flat as Stars eased up and gave Flyers plenty puck time, and never looked seriously challenged.

At 34:04, Foss tapped in at the back post for 5-2, but any slender hopes of a comeback were killed off by Naas turning home at rebound at 45:38 for 6-1.

Patrick Kyte grabbed a third for Flyers before Stars delivered another one-two with Zack waltzing in behind Flyers defence, across Shane Owen and pop[ng the puck in the net at 53:36. Dryden Dow then went route one with a shot from the blue line at 53:56.

It wasn’t the performance interim coach Johnny Curran wanted or asked for.

“Our goal was to be in the game from the start, and if it burnt out in the third then so be it. The first ten minutes we were a good team pushing the pace and controlling the game. We got scored on five times in eight minutes and that was us bowing out of the game. “It was great to see a push back but that’s a lot easier to do against a team that has the win. We need a full buy-in for a much longer period of time. If we gas out in third so be it. Bowing out in the first is a habit we have to get out of - you cannot get scoffed on fives times and expect to win games.”