The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Stars and Flyers set for battle in bid to keep Elite League play-off hopes alive
Flyers look to break losing streak against old rivals
Bari Mckenzie yesterday called on Fife Flyers’ success-hungry fans to provide massive backing for the club ahead of this weekend’s make-or-break basement double-header.
Four points for flagging Flyers would keep the club’s faint Elite League play-off hopes alive as the Kirkcaldy club entertain ninth-placed Dundee Stars tonight (7.15pm) and travel to Manchester Storm tomorrow (5.30pm).
Dumfries-born Mckenzie, who was a Dundee player for two seasons, said, in a plea to fans: “This is a huge weekend for Flyers so please continue to support us.
“Pack the auld barn, be loud, be proud and let’s go get a four-point weekend.”
It is now 14 games since Fife fans celebrated a win, equalling the club’s longest losing streak of their Elite League era.
It matches the record set in Fife’s first season back in the top flight of British hockey in 2011.
The club have not won in 2020 but resurgent Dundee claimed a penalty shots victory over Scottish rivals Glasgow Clan at Braehead last weekend to boost their hopes of making the final eight.
Coach Omar Pacha’s men hold a 4-2 lead in the series with Fife and have won on their three visits to the Fife Ice Arena this season.
And they are in form having claimed 11 points from their last 10 games while Fife have accumulated just one from a 4-3 shoot-out home defeat to Glasgow on January 4.
Flyers will be without English-born defenceman Sam Jones against Dundee as he sits out a one-game ban after a fracas with Nottingham’s Mathieu Tousignant.
Stars, who host Guildford Flames tomorrow (5pm), are currently in ninth position in the standings and have 32 points from 40 games, seven more than Fife, who have played the same number of matches.
Forward Colton Kroeker knows that this weekend is massive for Stars.
He said: “It’s a huge weekend for the club. Every game honestly is just as big as the next at the moment.
“We just have to stay consistent and play the way we have been and I think we will be fine.
“It’s always a very intense game against Fife and it’ll be a lot of fun but it will be a hard-fought game and we know they are a good team, so we have to come out very hard.”
The Canadian rookie is also expecting a tough night at home tomorrow.
He added: “The Flames are also a very good and dangerous team. They have a lot of offence and can strike at any time, so we just have to keep playing consistent hockey and I think we will be OK.”
Dundee netminder Alex Leclerc could have a major part to play over the weekend.
He has been outstanding for Stars this season and the narrow 3-2 shoot-out win in Glasgow last weekend was a massive boost.
He said: “We needed those two points. We worked hard for them and we were rewarded.
“We are in the last stretch of the season and everybody is fighting for every inch.
“We prepared really well for Glasgow and are preparing the same way for this weekend.
“In our last encounter with Fife it was a very tight match and before that we lost against them.
“It is always a fresh start for everybody in every game, therefore we must make sure we bring our best energy and be ready as soon as the puck drops on Saturday.”
● Coventry Blaze beat Guildford Flames 3-2 in last night’s Elite League clash.