Last gasp defeat for Fife Flyers

If ever a club in search of a break deserved one, it was Fife Flyers tonight.
Fife Flyers v Nottingham Panthers (Pic: Jillian McFarlane)Fife Flyers v Nottingham Panthers (Pic: Jillian McFarlane)
Fife Flyers v Nottingham Panthers (Pic: Jillian McFarlane)

Mired in last place in the EIHL and staring up at the growing gap between themselves and the play-offs, they were tied 2-2 with Nottingham Panthers when the visitors grabbed a winning goal 17 seconds from time.

That denied Flyers the regulation time draw and precious point they desperately needed – and merited.

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When you are down, Lady Luck really does look in the opposite direction.

Fife Flyers v Nottingham Panthers (Pic: Jillian McFarlane)Fife Flyers v Nottingham Panthers (Pic: Jillian McFarlane)
Fife Flyers v Nottingham Panthers (Pic: Jillian McFarlane)

This game was scrappy and pretty run of the mill, but Fife took an early lead and were never behind until Brian Connelly, standing near the plexi, floated in a shot through traffic which found the net.

When your losing streak extends to ten games, these moments sting.

As games go, this was no thriller. Fife grabbed two early goals while Panthers shook off their bus legs, and neither side hit the heights.

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Fife’s workrate was better, and they had chances to crack open this game, but the fact their second, and final goal, came as early as the seventh minute underlines the problems with ringing the red light which have undermined so many performances across this season.

Minus several players, Panthers were no great shakes, but they had spells of pressure and as many chances as Fife to seize control of this game. A draw would have been a fair outcome – one that might just have given Fife the spark needed to turn their season round.

Todd Dutiaume, head coach noted a “whole host of reasons why we lost the game and why we are in this position” noting: “Frustration has been palpable for long time.”

Without naming names, he singled out his “high end players” for not delivering what was expected of them, but singled out Carlo Finucci as how it ought to be done.

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He hailed him “a shining light in this despair people are suffering now.”

Dutiaume added: “He fights to get to net, but we can’t put it on shoulders of one or two guys. That doesn’t work.”

Flyers made the perfect start with Jordan Buesa netting off a good set up from Paul Crowder with 2:00 on the clock.

Finucci doubled the advantage at 7:19 as he buried a puck that had spun around the zone as Fife kept the pressure on.

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Panthers got off the mark through Georgs Golovkovs at 9:13, but, importantly, Flyers held their lead until the first break.

The second period saw Brett Perlini – son of former Fife legend, Fred – ping a shot off Adam Morrison’s goalposts, and Mark Matheson scorned a gilt-edged chance with the goal at his mercy before Panthers drew level with a powerplay strike at 37:26.

Chase Schaber had barely settled in the sin bin before Perlini hit then net.

Flyers had two powerplay opportunities and created some good chances, with Jonas Emmerdahl blasting away with tasty shots, and they went into the second break on level pegging.

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The third produced spells of pressure from both sides, but neither really grabbed this game by the scruff of its neck, and it was clearly drifting into overtime when Connelly’s heartbreaking strike delivered Panthers winner.

Flyers pulled Morrison for the final 14 seconds but it was barely enough time to set anything up.