Continental duo face Flyers this weekend

Fife Flyers entertain Continental opposition this weekend with Tilburg Trappers visiting from The Netherlands on Saturday (19.15) and CSM Brasov from Romania on Sunday (18.00).

The duo will pose a completely different challenge for Coolen and his new-look squad after their fiesty double-header with arch rivals, Dundee Stars, in two pre-season games last weekend. 

Fife lost 3-2 after overtime at The Fife Ice Arena after being 2-0 down and carried the form showed in their comeback into Sunday’s trip to Tayside where they skated to an emphatic 4-0 victory. Coolen said: “It was a very positive outcome and everybody contributed.”

Thankfully, Coolen only has two players nursing knocks from the Dundee double-header. He added: “Saturday was a physical game and we worked hard. It was very competitive and it challenged us.

“We came back from two goals down and I feel we played well and we carried that into Sunday. The 4-0 win was absolutely a good result for us and we played very well.”

He was particularly pleased that the goals were shared around four different players and he said: “(Goaltender) Shane Owen was outstanding. I coached him way back and I have never seen him better.”

The vastly-experienced playcaller said: “We have two men with injuries, they are not serious, and we are at the stage when we need to play games.”

The club’s first domestic game is a Challenge Cup clash at Glasgow Clan on September 23 but Coolen said: “I do not look that far ahead. We have two competitive games coming up this week and it is important to log ice time.”

PICTURE: Action from Flyers v Stars last weekend courtesy of the Elite League