Tim Crowder delighted to get off the mark for Fife Flyers

The 32-year-old forward accumulated 27 goals and 41 assists for Coventry Blaze last term, placing him inside the Elite League’s top 10 points scorers for the 2018-19 campaign.

Crowder opened his Flyers account on Saturday, firing a double against his former club to help Flyers to a 6-3 win over Coventry at Fife Ice Arena.

With two goals and five assists from the opening four league fixtures, the Canadian looks set to be as productive in Fife as he was at Blaze last term.

“To get my first two goals in front of the home crowd was good,” he said.

“I enjoyed myself a lot at Coventry, and it maybe didn’t look it in the results, but we had a really good team.

“I was lucky to play with good offensive guys and that helped me a lot with my stats.

“Fife’s a very offensive team too and I knew that coming in.

“There’s a good group of guys here so as long as the forwards can contribute as much as we can offensively, we’ll be successful this year.”

Crowder’s move to Fife saw him once again link up with his brother Paul, the pair having iced together in Australia over the summer months at Sydney Ice Dogs.

The siblings also spent time together at Amiens in France in 2015-16, as well as featuring on the same teams while learning their trade in the junior ranks in Canada.

“We played together a few times in different countries,” Tim said.

“It’s just good with our careers winding down we get to play together again.

“That was the main thing for us going to Australia - to play together - but it just so happened to work out for us in Fife this year.

“I didn’t really know what I was going to do this season but with my brother being here, the team contacted me. Paul talked the place up too, which was a big factor.

“I’m just happy to be here with my brother and play for the Flyers.”

Crowder believes he is benefitting from his game-time in Australia over the summer, despite having missed the preseason training camp in Fife due to the end of the Australian season overlapping.

“It was fun,” he said. “Obviously it’s a little different there but it was a good experience.

“I always wanted to do it, but there was always the issue of training camps starting in August.

“This year I just decided to pull the trigger and do it.

“Luckily it didn’t really bother Fife that much and there was a few of us did it.

“I’m happy I did it, plus the hockey is a little better than people think.

“They had some good players down there – four from the Flyers.”

He added: “We enjoyed ourselves in Sydney but we’re now focused on the season here in Fife.”

Flyers are currently top of the EIHL with three wins and a defeat from their opening four fixtures.

“We want to come out every game with our best effort and I think we have for the most part,” Crowder added.

“The game in Guildford was up for the taking - we just couldn’t capitalise in the end.

“But I think we’re going to have a good team this year, and work as a hard as we can to be on top.”