Doubles from Johan Eriksson and Troy Lajeunesse helped Fife Flyers roar back from being behind to burn Coventry Blaze and open their Elite League campaign for the season with a confidence-boosting road win in the Midlands.
The Kirkcaldy club were 2-1 down after the first 20 minutes but won the middle session 3-2 and the final period 2-0, that’s despite being outshot 39-30 by the men from The Skydome.
Kobe Roth gave Blaze a flying start by firing the home side ahead after only 21 seconds but Fife were level in 2min 53sec when Lajeunesse netted but James Shearer put Blaze ahead for a second time after 13 minutes.
The scoreline stayed that way until the first break and Blaze then went 3-1 ahead when Alexander Kuqali netted 1min 53sec into the session.
Only 14 seconds later Benjamin Hawerchuk hit back and netted Fife’s second and Eriksson levelled at 3-3 only 52 seconds after that.
Blaze edged ahead at 4-3 when Ian McNulty scored in the 38th minute but the Kirkcaldy club refused to buckle and were level at 4-4 when Eriksson scored with 59 seconds left on the clock in the middle period.
Tom Coolen’s men went ahead for the first time at 5-4 when Lajeunesse scored unassisted. Time 58min 04sec. Kyle Osterberg added a sixth unassisted on Blase’s empty net with 58 seconds of the game remaining after they gambled by withdrawing their netminder to stun the 1,665 crowd.
Elsewhere, Dundee Stars edged Manchester Storm 3-2 after a shootout on Tayside to earn revenge for a 4-2 defeat at The Storm Shelter in the North-West on Saturday.
PICTURE: Fife v Belfast at The Fife Ice Arena on Saturday courtesy of Dean Wooley and the Elite League
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