Fife Flyers’ head coach Tom Coolin celebrated claiming an Elite League play-off spot with a 6-2 win at arch rivals Dundee Stars and declared: “We did what we needed to do.”
Kyle Osterberg claimed a glory treble in the welcome win and Flyers’ No 1 goaltender, Shane Owen (pictured), was outstanding and the result leaves the Tayside team scrambling for a slot in the top eight which guarantees a play-off position.
As it stands Fife are sixth with 51 points with one game remaining at The Fife Ice Arena on Sunday (17.15) against Stars.
Coventry Blaze are seventh with 50 points from 53 games with Stars on 49 points with one game remaining.
Below them and currently out of the play-offs are Glasgow Clan in ninth spot with 49 points from their 53 games with bottom-markers Nottingham Panthers on 48 points from their 53 starts.
Sunday’s fixtures see Clan hosting Cardiff (17.00), Coventry entertaining Guildford Flames (17.30) and Nottingham at home to Manchester Storm (16.00).
On Saturday, at the Dundee Ice Arena, the sides were locked at 1-1 after the first session but Flyers won the middle period 3-1 and closed out the game with a 2-0 third-period scoreline.
Disappointed Stars head coach and director of hockey, Mark LeFebvre, whose men outshot Flyers 62 to 36 according to official figures posted on the Elite League website, said: “It is all to play for (at Kirkcaldy). It is one game, that’s all. For whatever reason, we opened ourselves up and played run-and-gun and did not play simple hockey (in Dundee).
“We played right into their hands. We played the way they wanted to play. They play open style hockey, a lot of run-and-gun and getting in behind and we know that but we decided to play that way.
“We had some opportunities at their end we did not capitalise on so it was not a lack of chances in front of their net. We have to go there and play.
“We were very perimeter (at Dundee) and we have to go into dirty areas to score goals. They did that and they capitalised on our mistakes.
“You can’t give guys like Osterberg, who is their best player, chance upon chance off the rush and he scored a hat-trick.”
LeFebvre said: “It is all to play for. It is a tough building but we have won their twice this season.”
The wins have come, he said, by playing the right way, playing simple hockey. It is our last chance. We have to win just one hockey game. I have every confidence in the guys to get it done.”
Delighted Coolen said: “I thought we were able to turn some pucks over and we took advantage of a power play which was a big goal for us. We played pretty well.
“I don’t know if the shots on the board are correct as I thought we had more than our fair share of shots but all in all we did what we had to do. We scored when we needed to and we only gave up two.
“I am pretty happy with the effort and Shane Owen did a great job in the net and all in all it was a big win for our team.”
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