Brett Neumann netted in sudden death overtime as Glasgow Clan edged Fife Flyers 5-4 in the Elite League in the West of Scotland to record only their second win in their last ten games.
Earlier, Fife’s much-hyped and recently-signed two ex-National Hockey League players, David Booth and Milan Lucic, were not listed in the match-night squad and it is thought that their paperwork had not come through in time.
Flyers’ head coach, Jamie Russell, was, however, looking for an improved performance, articulating that his men had not been at their best against the Braehead men so far this term and long-term injury victim, Justin Ducharme, was named.
Overall, Clan have dominated previous at Braehead, claiming 33 wins with Flyers only taking the points on 12 occasions, but they came into the game on a downer having lost their Challenge Cup elimination games in midweek to Nottingham Panthers, the Glasgow club’s seventh straight defeat.
It took Clan only 3min 24sec to move ahead, Deven Sideroff being set up by Steven Seigo and Tristin Langan, and, just under 13 minutes later, the home side moved 2-0 ahead when Ausin Mitchell-King was set up by Darien Kielb and Brett Neumann.
The scoreline stayed the same until the first break but Fife where being heavily outshot with goaltender Shane Owen a busy man. He was beaten again after 25min 10sec when Jason Fram netted unassisted on the power play with Fife skipper, Garet Hunt, called for cross checking.
Minutes later, Fife opened their account when Ethan Somoza scored with Anton Karlsson assisting. Time 31min 35sec and it was a power play goal with Joe Hazeldine in the sin-bin for tripping. A lifeline.
The battling league bottom-markers netted again when New York-born winger Logan Neilson, the son of Clan coach, Corey Neilson, was set up by Josh Winquist and Hunt on the power play with Richard Jarusek called for interference on Flyers’ netminder Owen. Goal time 35min 44sec.
The pressure was now on Glasgow despite the shot count being 36-22 in favour of the home side.
Fife made Glasgow suffer 1min 47sec into the final session when Keaton Jameson levelled. Hunt was again involved along with Karlsson. Game on, but Clan hit back through an unassisted goal from Steven Seigo with 45min 09sec on the clock for 4-3.
Would this take the heat out of the visitors? The answer was no. Fife battled on and Russell called a time out with less than four minutes remaining, withdrawing netminder Owen and Winquist netted unassisted with 52 seconds left to force the game into a sudden death extra session, despite being outshot 54-31.
However, the joy was short-lived as Neumann was fed by Seigo and he slotted the game winner 36 seconds into the extra session but Fife have the chance for revenge on Saturday as the sides clash in Kirkcaldy (face-off 19.00).
PICTURE: Garet Hunt, influential as Fife earn a point. Picture courtesy of Fife Flyers
