Flyers burn Blaze twice to claim four-point weekend

If you want nail-biting sporting excitement then watch Fife Flyers. Kyle Osterberg grabbed a game-winner in the dying minutes in a nerve-shredding clash at the Fife Ice Arena to claim a welcome four-point weekend with back-to-back wins over Coventry Blaze.

But the Midlands club took the Kirkcaldy combine to the wire in both clashes, losing out 4-3 in sudden-death overtime on Saturday in The Skydome and then missing out with less than three minutes left the return clash at The Fife Ice Arena.

In fact, it was Osterberg who was a key man in both games, setting up the equaliser for 3-3 in Coventry, with under two seconds left.  

On Sunday, Collin Shirley gave the home side a perfect start, opening the scoring after 1min 9sec. He was set up by Teemu Pulkkinen but it took Blaze just over four minutes to level when David Clements netted.

The home side forged ahead for a second time when Lucas Chiodo netted after Ben Hawerchuk and Anthon Eriksson had set up the chance. Time 12min 40sec.

The scoreline stayed that way until the first break but Coventry levelled after 29 minutes through Kobe Roth.

Seven minutes later and Fife were ahead for a third time, Johan Eriksson scoring with Osterberg and Brady Pouteau assisting but back came Coventry and an unassisted strike from Alessio Liciani levelled at 3-3. Time: 56min 49sec.

In was all to play for in the final three minutes but Osterberg netted 18 seconds later to have the Fife fans on their feet. Stephen Desrocher and Johan Eriksson provided the ammunition.

Blaze gambled by withdrawing their netminder with less than two minutes left, giving them six skaters, the move following a time out, but it failed.

PICTURE: Fife at Coventry on Saturday taken by Scott Wiggins and courtesy of the Elite League