Head coach Jamie Russell has work to do to lift his Fife Flyers squad after they were thrashed in the Elite League by Belfast Giants in Northern Ireland.
That’s despite listing their two new National Hockey League signings, David Booth and Milan Lucic, but the league bottom-markers were blown away 9-0 by fired-up Giants.
The Kirkcaldy combine kept it close in the first session, going in 1-0 behind, but Belfast fired three in the middle period and then slammed three behind Flyers’ netminder, Shane Owen, during a nightmare seven minute spell early in the third.
In fact, it took the home side, cheered on by over 6,710 fans, close to the end of the session to break the deadlock. Josh Winquist was sent to the sin bin for high sticking after 15min 42sec and Nicholas Guay made them pay when he netted on 17min exactly.
It took Giants 1min 04sec of the second to make it 2-0 when Scott Conway as on the mark and after 24min 59sec they were 3-0 ahead, Mike Lee doing the damage this time.
Giants popped in No 4 when Jordan Kawaguchi scored after 31min 29sec, and the scoreline stayed that way until the second break.
Then the roof fell in. Reid Irwin scored 27sec into the final session and his goal was quickly followed by one from Carter Hamill. Time 43min 41sec.
No 7 hit the rigging after 47mn 51sec. Carsen Twarynski was on the mark on this occasion and it was another power play strike with Anton Karlsson called for slashing and watching from the penalty box.
And it got worse. Kari Boudrais netted No 8 after 49min 21sec and David Goodwin added a ninth after 50min 37sec.
There was no more scoring but Flyers were outshot 41-25 over a 60 minutes the players may wish to forget.
The bad news is that the sides meet again tomorrow (SUN, 17.00) in Kirkcaldy.
PICTURE: Jamie Russell by Flyers Images
