Huge effort but Fife Flyers come up short against Glasgow Clan
You couldn’t fault Fife Flyers’ effort, but three games in four days was a step too far as they went down 4-2 to Glasgow Clan.
A tight, fast flowing game saw them produce some outstanding penalty killing, but playing short for an extended spell in the second period left them with just not enough in the tank for the third when they tried to push back to tie this game.
Flyers’ relentless harrying had Clan under pressure, but the tables were also turned as the visitors from Braehead came on to their game and looked the side most likely to see this one out.
They had to withstand some early pressure before Cameron Hough fired Fife ahead at 8:20 when his pass from round the back of the net in off a Clan skate. The goal stood after an unsuccessful challenge for offside.
Clan drew level at 13:47 when a puck fired from centre of the blue line took a touch from Deven Sideroff, and it had just enough legs to trickle over the line.
They struck again in the final minute of the period, breaking at speed with Cole Kodsi netting off a fine return pass from Ross Armour.
Garet Hunt’s game ended after 24 minutes when his stick caught Julius Reini's between his legs. The referees immediately reviewed the incident and ejected the skipper on a five plus game for slashing. It was the second home game in a row that Hunt has been ejected - his two fights in the game against Cardiff earning an automatic game misconduct.
Flyers delivered a herculean effort to kill the penalty, and then had more to do short handed as Evan Dougherty tried to lift Jake Johnson’s stick, but accidentally caught him in the face serving a double minor.
The pressure eased when Cade Nelson was binned at 31:37 for slashing, but immediately ramped up again when he jumped back into the fray and fired a low shot past Blake Pietila for 3-1.
The third saw Flyers push but create limited chances to get the goal they needed to spark any comeback. It finally came when Reini went for a high stick, and Victor Bjorkung’s shot was tipped in by Xander Lamppa at 54:10.
When Kadsi was penalised for delaying the game at 57:43, Flyers pulled Pietila for a six on four powerplay, but when Neilson grabbed the puck midway through the powerplay, he calmly lobbed it down the ice and into the empty net for 4-2.