The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Coach keen to nurture Flyers’ belief
ICE HOCKEY: Dutiaume echoes assistant’s warning that there can be no nights off
Todd Dutiaume last night said that his Fife Flyers squad are now beginning to believe in themselves.
But the head coach warned the players that they cannot take a night off in any games in the highly-competitive Elite League.
Fife have a complete week to prepare for the visit of resurgent Sheffield Steelers, who whipped Dundee Stars 6-1 on Tayside on Sunday.
The game is at Rosslyn Street on Saturday.
Eighth-placed Steelers have 16 points from 19 fixtures. Fife are second thanks to three straight wins, including Saturday’s 3-2 success over battling Manchester Storm.
The men from the House of Steel, who were bottom of the table earlier in the campaign, have come good following the installation of a new coach.
Dutiaume said: “Jeff Hutchins (Fife’s assistant coach) mentioned in a meeting recently that if we want to stay up in the league we need to compete night-in, night-out.
“There is no hiding in this league and everybody is aware that we have 11 good hockey clubs in this league.”
He added: “The guys are starting to believe that they are a good team and are capable of good things.
“We are going to continue to nurture that and keep working them hard and take it weekend to weekend.”
Meanwhile, Dundee Stars player/ coach Omar Pacha is determined to snap his side’s three-game losing streak at mid-table Coventry Blaze on Saturday.
Misfiring Dundee are second bottom with 11 points from 16 fixtures and there is a gap between Pacha’s team and ninthplaced Manchester, who have 15 points from 17 starts.
The gap cannot be allowed to widen otherwise Dundee and struggling Milton Keynes Lightning will become detached at the foot of the table,.
Lightning, who have lost their last eight games, have a chance to earn two valuable points when they entertain Glasgow Clan tomorrow.
Six Scots were yesterday named in the Great Britain Under-20 squad by head coach Slava Koulikov.
They will compete in the IIHF World Championship Division II Group A in Tallinn from January 13 to 19.
Britain meet Korea, Lithuania, Romania, Spain and hosts Estonia.
Fife Flyers defenceman Reece Cochrane joins Solway Sharks netminder Jordan McLaughlin in the squad.
Jordan Buesa, formerly of Glasgow Clan but now with Fife, is one of the forwards along with Mac Howlett (Glasgow Clan), Jordan Kelsall (Dundee Stars) and Chad Smith (Flyers).
Reserves include defenceman Lewis Baldwin of Solway and forwards Scott Jamieson and Caly Robertson of Fife Flyers.