Didrik Svendsen scored during Sunday’s home defeat by Belfast Giants and his work ethic during the game certainly impressed Fife Flyers’ head coach, Jamie Russell.
Now, Russell hopes the Norwegian-born winger can reproduce the same form when Dundee Stars visit The Fife Ice Arena on Wednesday (19.30) in the Challenge Cup.
The 30-year-old’s form dipped after he suffered an injury earlier in the campaign and the 6ft 3in from Sarpsborg found it difficult to get back into the groove.
Against Belfast Giants, one of the powerhouses in the Elite League, the former Valeregna forward scored Flyers’ first goal in the 5-2 defeat.
Coach Russell said the player was “a huge factor” in the game with his presence, his physicality, his energy, and the Canadian coach added: “He was rewarded with his goal.”
Looking back, Russell said: “Didrik had a great start to the season then he got injured. Hockey is a physical game and it is difficult if you are not 100 per cent. He found it really tough to get his game back, he was frustrated as he did not get as much ice time and he struggled to turn things around, but I was so happy for him on Sunday. He did a great job.”
Naturally, the playcaller hopes to see more of the same from the player.
Swedish forward Johan Porsberger missed Sunday but the club are monitoring his fitness day by day and he will be assessed in the pre-game skate on Wednesday before a final decision is made.
Canadian winger, Justin Ducharme is, however, ruled out and Russell said it could be four to six weeks before the 25-year-old laces up his skates for the club again.
Of course, Fife are squaring-up to a side they know well having played two pre-season games against the Tayside team, losing 3-2 after overtime in Dundee and by the same scoreline after a shootout at Kirkcaldy. The teams have also met in the Challenge Cup, Fife winning 4-0 on the road, claiming a 5-1 victory at Kirkcaldy and losing 5-4 after overtime on Tayside.
Russell remains up-beat despite Sunday’s reverse and said: “We were 2-2 going into the third against a very good Belfast team, but we have to get our game management better. We made some mistakes and they were punished.”
