Viaplay Elite League: Cardiff Devils 7, Fife Flyers 4
Fife Flyers let slip a 4-2 lead to skid to a 7-4 defeat at high-flying Cardiff Devils in the Viaplay Elite League, but head coach Todd Dutiaume saw positives in their performance.
The experienced Canadian felt the club’s power play was clicking, they scored three goals with extra men, and he was pleased with the start but a final period surge saw Devils snatch the three points.
The Kirkcaldy club, sponsored by Wolseley, went ahead inside the first three minutes but Fife then went 2-1 behind before firing three unanswered to lead 4-2 after 37 minutes.
Devils found another gear and slammed five straight, four in the final session, to take the win. The home side outshot Fife 42 to 31 on the night with Cole Sanford netting a glory treble.
Dutiaume (pictured by James Assinder on the bench at Cardiff and courtesy of the Viaplay Elite League) said: “After a lot of miles (on the bus) we knew we would come under some early pressure, which we did, but the guys weathered it well. We drew first blood which is always a bonus in this building.
“Our power play was cooking and probably the turning point of the game, for me, was at the end of that second period where we could have possibly gone 5-2 and possibly put the game to bed but they got a short-handed goal and got some momentum.
“Early (penalty) call, a soft call, in the third period, but the game from there we were chasing it.”
His opposite number, Brodie Dupont, said: “My seven-year-old daughter said she had some friends coming to the game and she expected a win. They got the first one and I felt we were still in control then we took some penalties in the second and shot ourselves in the foot. It is hard to play at pace when you are killing a lot of penalties.
“So, we need to sharpen that up but Fife did a great job on the power. We just wanted to find a way to get it done as it felt as if we had lost momentum going into the third.
“The way the guys responded in the third was huge and we had some big games from some key players. The win is what matters but we would want to do it a little bit easier.”
Earlier, Brayden Sherbinin opened the scoring for Flyers after 2min 41sec but Sanford levelled six minute later. Sanford fired the home side 2-1 ahead after 23 minutes but Fife hit back. Dillon Lawrence levelled after 33 minutes and Chris Lawrence edged the visitors ahead two minutes after that.
Janne Kivilahti made it 4-2 for Fife after 37 minutes but Devils replied with a shot-handed strike from Ryan Penny 57 seconds from the second break.
That sparked the goal rush as Jake Coughler levelled at 4-4 only 1min 32sec into the third session. Josh Batch made it 5-4 five minutes later and Devils finished off Fife with goals from Sanford (54 minutes) and Coughler after 57 minutes on an empty net after Fife withdrew their netminder to have six skaters.
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