The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
‘Tough old grind’, says Dutiaume
Todd Dutiaume praised his Fife Flyers squad following a three-point weekend but admitted: “We’re still suffering from the same issues.”
The experienced coach was speaking after his men lost a 3-0 lead to go down 4-3 at Manchester Storm following a shoot-out.
Fife still earned a point for being level at 3-3 in regulation time on Sunday night.
The Canadian, right, said his men played four good periods of hockey during the double-header weekend.
In their other game Fife claimed two points in a 4-1 home win over arch rivals Dundee to snap a depressing 14-game losing streak.
Dutiaume continued: “Over the weekend, there were four good periods of hockey. You saw in the second period (at Manchester), and in parts of the third, issues which have really hampered us all season, inconsistency and the ability to keep switched on in hockey games.”
Panthers on Friday still detached at the bottom of the table with 28 points from 42 games.
Dundee Stars are ninth with 34 points from 42 fixtures, with Manchester occupying the final play-off spot on 35 points from 41 games.
Glasgow Clan are seventh with 37 points from 40 games and it is almost certainly between those spirit in the first period but he felt they did not have the jump they normally possess during the early part of the game.
He added: “They (Guildford) had the long journey, leaving early and they arrived late and we wanted to pounce on them a bit harder than we did. It was a back and forth game and it could have gone either way.”