Hutchins eyes top spot to keep Fife Flyers’ momentum going

Kirkcaldy side keen to enjoy advantage in knock-out stage

Fife Flyers may have already qualified for the next stage of the Challenge Cup, the first major competition of the Elite League season.

But the club’s assistant coach, Jeff Hutchins, is keen to finish the qualification process by topping group B.

That would guarantee an advantage going into the knockout stage and the Kirkcaldy club travel to Belfast Giants tomorrow, face-off 7pm, on a mission.

That mission being to bring home points.

Currently, Fife head the four-strong table with six points from four games and have won their last two games in the competition.

Belfast are third with five points from four games with Dundee Stars second on six points from the same number of fixtures.

Edinburgh have accumulated five points from their six games and Hutchins confirmed Flyers travel with a full strength line-up.

He added: “We have qualified but we are looking to go there and pick up points so we finish on top of the group.

“That would give us a preferential seeding. The first team in one group plays the second team in another group.”

Belfast Giants’ head coach Adam Keefe will give new signing Matt Bissonnette his debut against Fife.

The Kirkcaldy club return to Rosslyn Street 24 hours later to face misfiring Scottish rivals Braehead Clan (face-off 6.30pm).

The Glasgow club’s head coach John Tripp has reshuffled his hierarchy in a bid to gain consistency.

Finnish forward Ville Hämäläinen is the club’s new captain and the 36-yearold was once drafted by National Hockey League side Calgary Flames.

The move will allow former Fife Flyers favourite Brendan Brooks to concentrate on his player/assistant coach role.

Craig Peacock will be joined by Brooks and Ryan Potulny as associate captains.

Bottom club Dundee Stars are also in double-header action, travelling to Elite League pace-setters Manchester Storm tomorrow, 7pm, and entertaining defending league champions, Sheffield Steelers, on Sunday, 6.30pm, with 23-year-old American forward Brian Hart in the line-up.

Stars have two points from four games and prop up the 12-strong table with Manchester, coached by former Braehead Clan playcaller, Ryan Finnerty, the surprise early leaders with 12 points from eight games.

Omar Pacha, Stars’ coach, said: “Brian arrived on Wednesday morning and he trained with his new team-mates today.

“He’ll be ready to go on Saturday and he’ll bring us extra firepower which we need.”

Fife Flyers’ assistant coach Jeff Hutchins says the Flyers are aiming to top group B.