Owen out to put Steelers to the sword

Fife Flyers have returned to the Elite League play-offs for the first time since the 2018-2019 season. And long-time Flyers netminder Shane Owen has shared his delight at getting another chance to bring a championship to Kirkcaldy.

The 33-year-old goalie has played five seasons with Fife and has not qualified for the play-offs with the Flyers since 2019, when they were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Nottingham Panthers.

Standing in their way this time are the Elite League and Challenge Cup champions Sheffield Steelers.

Fife secured their place with a 6-2 away victory over Dundee Stars on Saturday with the outstanding Owen making 60 saves, but they were then defeated 4-1 by the Stars in Kirkcaldy 24 hours later. Reflecting on the weekend, Owen said: “We were disappointed after Sunday’s game but we clinched a play-off spot the night before, so we are looking forward to that and we just need to try and build all week and get ready for Sheffield.

Tom Coolen’s side must overcome the runaway league winners but have beaten the Yorkshire club once already this season as they snapped the Steelers’ unbeaten away record with a 2-1 win at the Fife Ice Arena in January.

Discussing the tough match-up, the Canadian shot-stopper added: “We are just going to have to be ready to work.

“We know how good they are, how competitive they are and how dangerous they are, so we just have to focus on playing the best we can.

“We knew we just had to get into the play-offs. The last few seasons we have not quite made it there so this was huge for the club and now we have to take it one step further.”

The past weekend saw packed-out arenas in both Dundee and Kirkcaldy for two crucial derbies that decided both clubs’ fate, with each team claiming their place in the play-offs with a win away from home.

A large number of fans have been backing the Flyers all season and Owen was full of praise for the loyal fan base.

He added: “They have been awesome. They give us such great support across the season and I enjoy coming back every year, so I hope they are loud again next game.”

Fife will head south to play Steelers on Friday night at a sold-out Ice Arena Sheffield with no away fans present as the tickets for the 1,500-seater were quickly snapped by Steelers fans before their opponents were confirmed.