Fightback pays off for Flyers

FIFE Flyers lost out on a penalty shoot-out to Edinburgh Capitals by 5-4 on Saturday.

However, they recovered to take full points from Nottingham Panthers in Kirkcaldy last night after coming back from 3-1 down with just over three minutes remaining in the game, to win in overtime by 4-3.

On Saturday in Kirkcaldy, Edinburgh opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal through Ian Schultz with 12 minutes gone. Just two minutes later, the Fifers squared the game with a goal from Chase Schaber. With three minutes remaining in the opening stanza, Taylor MacDougall put the visitors ahead 2-1.

Two minutes into the middle session, Flyers levelled with a strike from Carlo Finucci but Karel Hromas nosed the visitors back into the lead with a powerplay goal on 31 minutes.

Two minutes after the start of the final period, Sebastien Thinel netted to square the match at 3-3 and, eight minutes later, Matt Sisca put the home side in front 4-3 with a powerplay goal. Capitals responded with the equaliser through Michel Dobron with six minutes remaining.

Fife took two penalties in quick succession when Philippe Paquet and Ryan Dingle each took two minutes with under 40 seconds remaining in regulation time and, although Edinburgh didn’t take advantage of the two extra men during that 42 second spell, they made it count in overtime as Dobron grabbed the winning goal to give the men from Murrayfield the extra point.

Last night in Fife Ice Arena, Flyers got the early breakthrough when Dingle netted to give them a 1-0 lead after only 41 seconds.

However, on 10 minutes, Panthers struck back through Dave Clarke.

Then Jeff Brown made it 2-1 Nottingham.

In the final period, Brian McGrattan who netted a third goal for the visitors.

Flyers pulled goalie, Shane Owen in favour of the extra skater.

The gamble paid off as Chase Schaber pulled a goal back to set up a grandstand finish, with Bryan Cameron making it 3-3 before Matt Sisca scored the winning goal.