Carlo Finucci proud to equal Fife Flyers points record despite “roughest spell of career”

Finucci levelled on 200 points alongside former Flyer Bobby Chaumont with his goal during Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Panthers at Fife Ice Arena.

The 32-year-old from Burnaby in British Columbia, Canada is now aiming to set a new target for future players to aspire to, while helping Flyers out of their current slump.

“I’ve been made aware of it throughout the season as something I would potentially be able to achieve,” Finucci said.

“I guess it shows the consistency over the three and half seasons I’ve been here to be able to produce.

“It’s not something I set out to do, but I’ve been here long enough and consistently been able to put up numbers to be able to get to this.

“Hopefully I can get over the mark next weekend and, if I can achieve my goals for the rest of the season, set the bar higher.”

Finucci’s achievements come at an otherwise low point for the player and club with 10 straight losses leaving Fife rooted to the bottom of the EIHL.

“It’s the roughest spell I’ve been through in my hockey career,” he said. “It’s not an easy thing. I have a tough time just leaving things at the rink.

“I bring it home with me and am thinking about it all the time.

“It’s very difficult, but all I can do is keep grinding along.

“All we can do as a group is band together and snap this skid.

“There’s still lots and lots of hockey to be played.”

Flyers will need to make up a five-point deficit to the play-off positions to protect their record of having finished inside the EIHL’s top eight every season since 2012-13.

“That should be our only motivation right now,” Finucci said. “If guys have other motivations, great, but as a group we have to make the play-offs.

“It would be an embarrassment not to. There’s no sugar-coating it.

“Yes the league is better and all the teams are good, but we’re not a last-placed team.

“Our record shows it but I don’t think we are, so we’ll be doing everything we can to get a spot.”

Flyers face Cardiff Devils on home ice on Saturday before an away trip to Scottish rivals Glasgow Clan on Sunday.

“Ultimately it has to stop and we have to get that first win,” Finucci said.

“Everyone is waiting for it, and if we can get it, I feel it could really spark something for us. 

“We just need to come together and pull it over the line.

“Cardiff had a tough weekend and they’re going to be hungry, but we’ve lost 10 in a row so we have to be way hungrier and come out here flying.

“And Sunday doesn’t really need much bumping up. It’s the Clan and it’s a team we can catch in the standings.

“They are struggling as well, so we’ve got to jump all over them. Hopefully we’ll be coming off a win and can bring it into Sunday.

“Regardless, it’s a huge game, and the last time we go into their building this season so we need to pick up a win.”

Flyers head coach Todd Dutiaume praised Finucci for equalling Chamount’s tally, and urged his misfiring forwards to take note.

“I’ve always been very hard on Carlo because I know his potential, and I don’t know if he was necessarily living up to that at the start of the season, but he certainly has been lately,” he said.

“He’s been a shining light out there over the last few weeks and that’s probably why you see him rewarded on the scoresheet.

“The only significant change I’ve seen him make over the weeks is that extra effort level around the net, and what it takes to get these goals.

“Guys maybe need to take a page out of that. The league is good and if you don’t fight to get into scoring areas, you’re not getting into scoring areas.

“You have to fight to get through - it’s tough and it’s sore - and you have to be harder working than your defensive rival, and there’s a reason why Carlo has equalled that record.

“He’s been a wonderful servant to the club on and off the ice. He’ll get that record this year and he probably deserves it.”