Home weekend ends in double defeat for Fife Flyers

Matt Carter tussles for the puck against Nottingham Panthers. (Pic: Jillian McFarlane)

Despite taking the lead, Flyers lacked a spark for the majority of the contest and were ruthlessly dispatched by a hungrier and sharper looking Panthers who took their opportunities, especially on the powerplay and won the match 4-2.

Head Coach Todd Dutiaume was disappointed by his teams performance.

“After last night’s performance[against Belfast Giants] , I would’ve expected a push-back tonight, but right off the opening face-off, we turned a couple of pucks over, and that set the tone for how we were going to play that hockey game tonight.”

“But then surprisingly the next line, we go and get an early lead” he added.

“Once again our penalty-killings let us down, they had two powerplays tonight and scored two powerplay goals.”

“That needs addressed as it’s a difference maker in these games.”

Fife took the lead after leading point-scorer Michael McNicholas was given far too much space in the slot following great build-up play from Greg Chase and Carson Stadnyk to fire past Kevin Carr at 8.08.

Panthers shifted into gear and were level just under two minutes later as McNicholas sat for a delay of the game minor, Mathieu Tousignant got a tip on Taylor Doherty’s shot to tie the game on 9.58.

Shortly after equalising, Nottingham took the lead through another powerplay goal that was almost identical to the first, with veteran Matthew Myers tipped JC Brassards effort beyond Owen at 12.11.

Panthers began the middle stanza on the front-foot and found a third in quick fashion after Brady Norrish teed up Simon Suoranta who wristed crisply into the net to give the visitors a 3-1 lead on 21.54.

Already facing a tough ask heading into the final period, Fife fell even further behind after Myers poked home with Owen stranded at 44.34 to all but wrap up the points for the away side.

Following an interference call on Doherty, Carr was called into action on several attempts on net as Flyers upped the ante in search of a second goal and it arrived following McNicholas back-post finish to seal his brace on 56.47, but it was to prove to be nothing more than a consolation as Panthers held on to make it two wins out of three on their road weekend and Fife left to ponder what might have been.

FFP Mirror of Merit: 3-Michael McNicholas, 2-Scott Jamieson, 1-Shane Owen.