The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Flyers out to keep play-off hopes alive at Panthers
ICE HOCKEY: Disappointing results mean time is running out for Fifers
Fife Flyers visit Nottingham Panthers tonight knowing that time is running out on their bid to make the Elite League play-offs.
The Kirkcaldy club recently lost 14 games in a row but snapped the run last Saturday with a home victory over Dundee. However, they lost 4-3 after a shoot-out at Manchester on Sunday.
Their bid to sneak into the endof-season play-offs suffered another setback on Wednesday as Manchester Storm edged a 4-3 home win over fourth-placed Panthers after a shootout.
That moved Storm, who occupy the final play-off place, on to 37 points from 42 fixtures and alongside Glasgow Clan who have two games in hand.
Storm have opened a three-point gap on Dundee Stars who have played the same number of games, while Fife have 28 points from 42 outings. Fife coach Todd Dutiaume has been looking for his key men to prove their quality and for the entire squad to commit to 60 minutes of hockey. The Canadian pinpointed costly lapses at Storm which once again cost the Kirkcaldy club the game.
They are, however, travelling to an inconsistent Panthers side who have lost three of their last six fixtures.
And frustrated coach Tim Wallace is unhappy. He admitted post-game that the tight Manchester rink is difficult to play in.
He added: “We got a point but we wanted two. We had about 50 shots but their goalie was good. Manchester came out hard but we have to be better. We have to work harder.”
Fife should beware and he added: “It’s a huge weekend for us at home (Fife followed by Belfast Giants on Sunday) and we want a good start.”
British-born defenceman Sam Jones is set to be in the Fife line-up after serving a one-game ban against Dundee following his altercation with Nottingham’s Mathieu Tousignant in Flyers’ 2-0 defeat on February 2.
Dutiaume needs all his men to stay on the ice and perform to their full potential for the whole game if the Scots are to come home with two points. That would provide a massive boost to the club and their success-hungry fans.
Meanwhile, Flyers directors Tom Muir and Jack Wishart have used social media to thank the 400 fans who attended a lively question-and-answer session at The Bay Hotel in Kinghorn.
The tweet said: “On behalf of the directors, can we say thanks to everybody who came to the event, submitted a question or showed an interest. There is a lot to process, especially from the conversations held afterwards.”