Flyers ready to battle to secure play-off position

ICE HOCKEY: Mixed bag of results see Kirkcaldy side slip to fifth place

Todd Dutiaume admitted yesterday that Fife Flyers are immersed in a battle for a play-off place.

The former Elite League pacesetters have slipped into fifth spot in the highlycompetitive division.

And Dutiaume warned his men: “There is something to play for every night.”

Inconsistent results have seen Fife slip down the table and they now have 47 points from 42 games.

Below them are Guildford Flames with 46 points from 44 fixtures and Manchester Storm, who visit Kirkcaldy on Sunday, face-off 6.30pm, are seventh with 45 points from 44 games.

Sheffield Steelers occupy the eighth and final play-off position with 44 points from 45 starts.

Out of the top eight are ninth-placed Dundee Stars who are also on 44 points but from 43 games and Coventry Blaze who are on 43 points from 41 league matches. Glasgow Clan have climbed into an impressive fourth position following a fine run of form and they have 52 points from 42 games.

Dutiaume believes his men did well to earn two points from the west of Scotland club in last weekend’s doubleheader where Clan won 2-1 at Braehead but earned a point from a 3-2 overtime defeat at The Fife Ice Arena on Saturday.

Reflecting on Fife’s form in the last three months Dutiaume said that the period had been “tumultuous”.

The Winnipeg-born playcaller said: “You win one, you lose one and you go on a bit of a losing streak.

“On Saturday it looked like a playoff game and they showed they can compete.

“You have to remember that this Glasgow team are a team that had one defeat in January and they are ripping through the league right now and it takes a special effort to stop it.

“The team has it in them but the problem we have been facing is individuals shutting off within a highlycompetitive league and you end up dropping games and end up on losing streaks.

“It is important we recognise now that we are immersed in a battle with six teams for a play-off spot and there is something to play for every single night.”