Fife Flyers wrap phase one of Challenge Cup and prepare for Cardiff Devils test
Fife Flyers wrap their most successful Challenge Cup campaign in recent seasons with a road trip west tonight (Friday).
They head to Braehead Arena to take on Glasgow Clan in the last of the round robin qualifiers, with the final standings already set in stone.
But any notion this is a dead rubber is not being entertained by head coach Tim Wallace who also has a league game against Cardiff Devils to prepare on Sunday night - the first meeting of the clubs this season.
He said: “We have to keep playing a certain way,” he stressed. “We can’t have any bad habits come into our game with a big league game against Cardiff. We have to be professional and keep working.”
Flyers go into the game on a high after clinching their place in the next round of the Challenge Cup for the first time since 2023. Sunday’s win over Belfast Giants drew a crowd of 2400, and the buzz around the rinkside is starting to grow. They now face Guildford Flames in a one-off elimination tie with a prize of a place in the semi-finals for the winners.
Wallace said: “I told the players at the start of the season that they get out what they put in, and now we have a chance to get to the semi-finals. There’s a trophy out there we are trying to win.”
Flyers go into the game with three players battling lower body injuries. Netminder Dominic Groh is making progress, while defenceman Joona Vainio is also working towards a return, and forward Mason Alderson is back rinkside but not yet ready for a return to action after missing the start of the season.
Isack Bandu misses out as he serves a one-game ban following his ejection from the midweek game while defenceman Reece Kelly and forward Kyle Watsn will also will miss the road trip as they are on GB duty.
They are part of the national squad which has headed to Sosnowiec, Poland, to take part in the IIHF European Cup. GB will face the host country, Italy and Ukraine. Wallace hopes to have both back in town in time for Sunday’s game.
Flyers have also signed Scottish forward Lewis Young on a two-way agreement with Solway IHC for the remainder of the season. The 23-year-old has established himself as a regular contributor at NIHL level, having spent the past five seasons with the Dumfries-based team.