Brayden Sherbinin earned the Man of the Match accolade as the Kirkcaldy club thrashed Glasgow Clan 7-2 to earn a slot in the knockout stages of the Challenge Cup, the 29-year-old defenceman claiming a glory double in the emphatic victory, Fife’s first home win so far this season.
And it was a perfect end to a maximum point weekend sparked by a fine 3-1 road win at big budget Nottingham Panthers in the Premier Sports Elite League.
Flyers’ coaching team are looking to continue the winning run when Dundee Stars visit Kirkcaldy next Saturday (19.15) in a key, early-season game, and Fife then travel to Sheffield Steelers, one of the heavyweights in the Premier Sports Elite League, on Sunday (16.00).
Sherbinin claims the four-point weekend was a perfect way to prepare for what he called “the train coming” next weekend and the 6ft 1in blue-liner felt the Clan fixture was a great game and he believes Fife are now firing on all cylinders.
He added: “Personally, I’ve been shooting the puck a lot and they just have not been going in so it is nice to see the going in. It is a numbers game, the more pucks you shoot then the puck must go in sooner or later. It did a couple of times for me (against Clan).”
Overall, he added: “It just goes to show what we (Fife) can do with extra bodies in the line-up. Guys have the legs and we took it to them (Clan).
“Extra bodies, particularly up-front, makes a big difference as the guys have extra energy up-there and it helps us too as defencemen.
“We also elevated our practice last week, the coaches were on us upping the intensity levels and it shows in games this weekend. We performed really well.”
Fife kept the pressure on in the final stages against Clan and Sherbinin said: “That is super important in hockey.
“Being up three or four goals is always a very dangerous lead because, if you take your foot off the gas, that can give the other team momentum and they can get back in the game.
“We snuffed them out quickly when they got one. We got one back soon after and we put out that fire.”
Looking forward to the visit of Dundee followed by the trip to third-placed Steelers who shutout Dundee Stars 5-0 on Tayside on Sunday Sherbinin said: “We have a lot of momentum going for us. Guys will be riding some highs, but it is important that we stick to it and we don’t take our foot off the gas.
“We must keep that momentum rolling and be ready for that train coming next weekend.”
Clan’s coach Malcolm Cameron revealed that his squad have a number of injuries and added: “We are a pretty wounded animal.
“We have a lot of guys out of the line-up and there are guys playing because of the situation we are in. If we were healthy would not be playing.
“We have a couple of forwards playing on the back end and a couple of young defencemen playing too many minutes. That’s hockey, you can only play with what you have.”
He was pleased with the club’s effort in the third period, particularly when they killed off a five-on-three, power play situation.
The straight-talking Canadian added: “That shows we have a lot of character. They (Fife) have a good power play and we did not quit. It would have been easy to mail it in.
“We have to get healthy and reinforced and we have got to have a couple of saves. It is a deflater when the long ones (shots) go in and that puts you on your heels.”
He switched his netminder, removing regular No 1 Zach Driscoll after 12min 23sec and replacing him with back-up Ty Taylor.
Clan’s next game is on Saturday when league pace-setters Guildford Flames visit Braehead (19.00).
PICTURE: Fife Flyers v Glasgow Clan last Sunday at Kirkcaldy, picture from Premier Sports Elite League taken by Al Goold
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