Elite League: Cardiff Devils 3, Fife Flyers 2; Nottingham Panthers 5, Dundee Stars 1; Coventry Blaze 4, Glasgow Clan 3 (after overtime); Manchester Storm 5, Belfast Giants 2.
Fife Flyers meet Cardiff Devils against on Saturday at The Fife Ice Arena after the midweek 3-2 victory by the Welshmen at the Vindico Arena. Home fans will be hoping for a different outcome.
It was Fife’s first defeat in three games, but second-placed Devils moved onto nine wins in a row by coming from behind to edge battling Flyers in front of a 3,000-plus crowd in the Principality.
The reverse will be a major blow to Fife who have certainly logged road miles since the weekend, having endured a tough trip to Guildford Flames on Sunday.
Statistics showed that history was against Fife who have lost two of the three meetings between them and Devils this season, but they pushed the Welshmen hard.
Records show that Devils had also not conceded a goal at home to Fife since January last year and Fife’s last win in Cardiff was in November 2018.
What’s more, 16 points separated the teams, but Flyers believe they are a match for any side in the league and they proved it on the night.
Flyers’ head coach Tom Coolin (pictured) started with new signing Dominik Salama in goal with Scots-born Andrew Little as his back-up, but the home side struck first, moving 1-0 after 4min 05sec, Jamie Arniel netting after being set-up by Ryan Barrow and Cody Donaghey.
The scoreline stayed that way at the Vindico Arena until the first break, but Devils outshot the visitors 16-9 during the first 20 minutes.
The game changed in 1min 37sec of the second when Fife roared back. Lucas Chiodo claimed the visitors opener after 30 minutes with Troy Lajeunesse and Aleksi Makela involved.
And Teemu Plukkinen set up Collin Shirley for the second after 31min 37sec to stun the home fans.
The scoreline remained at 2-1 until the break with Devils firing 31 shots on goal overall against 20 in return and Fife held Devils at bay until the 54th minute when Justin Crandell slotted home with Evan Mosey and Brandon Alderson assiting for 2-2.
The home side moved ahead for the second time with Donaghey scored unassisted with 56min 14sec on the clock.
Coach Coolen called a time out with less than two minutes left and gambled by withdrawing his netminder on the re-start to give his men six skaters in a desperate bid to salvage something from the game but it ended with a narrow win for the home side.
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