Jonas Emmerahl will miss Fife Flyers’ double-header at home to high-flying Nottingham Panthers (7pm) and on the road at Coventry Blaze (5.30pm) who are in the bottom half of the ten-strong table.
The 6ft 4in Swede, now in his sixth season with the Kirkcaldy club, has an undisclosed injury and the 33-year-old sits out alongside Canadian forward, Justin Ducharme, who is on the long-term injury list.
Flyers are now minus Norwegian forward Didrik Svendsen who quit the club in midweek and is now back in his native country having failed to adjust to life in Fife and the playing style of the Elite League.
Jamie Russell, Flyers’ head coach, Russell confirmed that the flu and cold bug which has recently affected the dressing room has now gone but he said his squad were becoming used to being short-handed.
He said: “It is no different this weekend, it is what it is.”
However, the squad has been boosted by the performance against league pace-setters, Sheffield Steelers, at The Fife Ice Arena, last Sunday, Flyers being edged out 2-1 after a sudden death overtime period, but they still earned their first league point of the season due to taking the game to an extra session.
Russell said: “There is no questioning the effort. The guys battled. We played with heart, with passion and we played smart.”
Aaron Fox, his counterpart at Sheffield, felt his men were fortunate to travel home with two points.
Back to this weekend and second-placed Panthers could travel north for Saturday’s joust in pole position, knocking arch rivals, Steelers, off the top if they beat Manchester Storm, who are fourth, in the Lace City on Friday. Panthers, coached by former Fife favourite, Danny Stewart, currently have 12 points from eight starts. Steelers have 13 points, also from eight fixtures.
FLASHBACK: Fife in against Sheffield at Kirkcaldy last Sunday courtesy of the Elite League and taken by Jillian McFarlane
