David Booth has been described as a “difference maker” by Fife Flyers’ head coach, Jamie Russell, and he proved the point with a glory double as Fife Flyers edged arch rivals Dundee Stars 4-2 in the Elite League.
The victory earned a welcome two points in their bid to claim a play-off spot and it lifted the men from The Fife Ice Arena off the bottom of the ten-strong division. Dundee replaced them.
The 41-year-old, Detroit-born forward slotted early in the first session and followed up with a second for a 4-1 scoreline in the final period and the welcome win helped erase the 6-2 defeat at Guildford Flames on Saturday.
The victory was built on a 2-0 first period advantage and it moved the Kingdom club onto 18 points, two ahead of the Tayside team who now prop up the ten-strong table.
Earlier, experienced netminder Shane Owen started between the pipes for Fife and it took the home side only 3min 50sec to open the scoring, former National Hockey League (NHL) forward Booth netting with Anton Karlsson and Johan Porsberger supplying the ammunition.
And it became 2-0 when Ian Scheid was set-up by Giordano Finoro and Porsberger after 11min 27sec.
The scoreline stayed that way until Dundee opened their account after 32min 13sec when Spencer Naas netted unassisted, but just over a minute later the two-goal cushion was restored, Logan Neilson scoring unassisted at 33min 48sec.
And it became 4-1 when Booth scored his second at 35min 48sec with Karlsson and Porsberger involved.
Stars refused to buckle and Kameron Kielly was set up by Otto Nieminen for their second with 53min 18sec on the clock. This set-up a nervous finish and Stars’ coaching team withdrew their netminder, Emil Kruse, with just under two minutes left, giving them six skaters.
Then Stars called a timeout at 58min 41sec but the ploys failed and Fife emerged with the two points, outshooting Stars 40-36.
Other scores on Sunday were Coventry 4, Glasgow 1; Guildford 3, Cardiff Devils 4.
PUSH AND SHOVE: Action from a previous Fife v Dundee clash by Jillian McFarlane
