Fife Flyers target points from top two in testing weekend

The team faces a testing weekend of travel as they lace up to take on two of the top guns, and the coaches want points to secure the eighth spot they grabbed on the back of a point from the overtime loss to Sheffield Steelers on Sunday.

That was enough to send them above Glasgow Clan who crashed 8-0 in Belfast and lost 6-2 to Manchester Storm.

Flyers and Clan are now tied on 29 points - but Todd Dutiaume’s side have two games in hand as they head into the home stretch. Manchester Storm have a cushion of five points and games in hand as they sit in seventh.

Flyers make the long journey south to Guildford on Saturday.

It has been a reasonably happy hunting ground in recent seasons, but this year Flames have been the team that has set a hot pace from the very start - they sit second top, two points behind Belfast but with two games in hand.

Flyers have to made the long overnight journey back to host Belfast in Kirkcaldy on Sunday - Giants have an easy trip along the M8 after their Saturday game at Glasgow.

While bus legs may well be a factor, at this stage of the season, the coaches are looking for points from every weekend.

Sunday’s game will also act as a dress rehearsal for Wednesday’s eagerly anticipated cup final across the Irish Sea.

Jeff Hutchins, associate coach, hopes it’s a game that draws the fans rinkside after 1500 took in Sunday’s match - a jump from recent attendances.

He said: “We need to start taking points. The big difference between us and Glasgow and Dundee is they have taken points from the top teams. That is what we need to start doing in the next six weeks to confirm our place in play offs.

“We are up against two of the best teams in the league. Guildford have been running from wire to wire this season and it will be tough, but we had good games against then when we were not playing at our best. We are in better palace now, we are healthy with more recruitment.

“Sunday is the pre cup game. I hope a lot of people come out and support us, and if you can’t make it to Belfast it will be a good indicator of how the final likely to be.”