Paul Crowder inspires Fife Flyers to rock-solid win

They grafted all night long and played some smart hockey as they dismantled the visitors who went ahead with just 23 seconds on the clock.

Flyers quickly steadied their ship, and won all three periods of hockey with goals at key moments, but the final tally could have been higher given the number of chances they created.

Paul Crowder led the line with a sparkling performance with saw him bag another double – he’s clearly enjoying the extra ice time and role handed to him at Fife.

Crowder tormented Flames all night long, while Evan Bloodoff chased every puck in a tireless contribution; just two of the stand-out players on a night when the work ethic across the bench was excellent.

Carlo Finucci got Flyers back on level pegging with three minutes played, and then made it 2-1 with a rifled shot through traffic.

The real damage came in the second period as Fife extended their lead to 4-1 to almost put the game out of the reach.

Crowder was perfectly placed to pounced on a rebound for 3-1 after 21 minutes, and then Brett Bulmer was the architect for the fourth just three minutes later. It was his great movement which set up the pass for James Isaacs, tapped home by Bloodoff.

Ben Davies threw his Guildford colleagues a lifeline with a splendid individual goal before the buzzer, but Fife struck again early in the third to effectively seal the game.

Crowder made and scored the key strike – his touch deep in his own zone turned play around, and by the time Bulmer’s shot came off netminder Carrozzi, he was perfectly placed to net the rebound.

Crowder, and this team, are having a ball right now – a feelinmg summed up by the joy on Evan Stoflet’s face as he delivered a rocket of a shot from blue line to net to seal the win with some 17 minutes to play, allowing Fife to give ice time to the whole bench.