Ice Hockey – Edinburgh Capitals v Fife Flyers

Flyers upset Capitals’ hopes for two wins on the bounce.

Fife Flyers were the visitors to Murrayfield for a rare Saturday night game at Edinburgh’s home rink and they went home with a 3-2 win in what was a thrillingly close match for the spectators to enjoy.

It took the Flyers just under two minutes to find the back of the Capitals’ net with a close range effort from No 8, Ned Lukacevic (assist – 44) which he poked home from a scramble in front of goal. With the Capitals now on the back foot, the Flyers scored again after a further three minutes of play.

This time the scorer was No 22, Matt Reber (assists – 64, 8) who scored another close range goal which found its way past Tomas Hiadlovsky in the Edinburgh net. The remainder of the period was fairly evenly matched with both sides pulling out fine saves from the corresponding goal minders – Hiadlovsky diving all over his area to clear one errant puck – and it ended – penalty free! – with Fife 2-0 ahead.

The second period was, again, a fairly evenly matched affair with, again, both ‘keepers being called on to save their sides on more than a few occasions. But it was Edinburgh who broke the stalemate. On a Powerplay in the eighteenth minute, No 13, Peter Holecko (assists – 24, 29) pounced on a loose puck just outside the goal crease and flicked it over the outstretched pad of Fife’s keeper to take the score to 2-1 to the Flyers.

The third, and final, period proved to be a much more frantic affair, with both sides demonstrating fine skating and stick handling skills. But it was Edinburgh who broke the deadlock with an eleventh minute goal from No 91, Michal Dobron (assists – 43, 17). The puck was lifted past the flailing arm of the Fife keeper during another Powerplay and into the back of the net, to draw the sides level at 2-2. With just over five minutes of the match remaining, Fife scored, what was to be, the winner from Reber (assist – 8) who scored his second of the night with a fine strike from distance to take the lead 3-2. In spite of pulling their ‘keeper for the final couple of minutes, Edinburgh couldn’t manage to score and take the match into overtime, so the game ended with Fife the 3-2 winners in, proved to be, a very closely fought encounter.

This leaves the Edinburgh team even further adrift at the foot of the table, and with Scott Neil’s ‘Fan’s Forum’ not taking place until March, it’s not really clear where things can be improved for next season.

Images from the match will appear here over the next few days.