Anton Karlsson has been on a fine run of form recently which has taken the Swedish forward to the top of the club’s individual points charts making him a marked man.
And there is no doubting the influence of the player who has accumulated 23 points (eight goals and 15 assists) so far.
Karlsson’s statistics include two assists in the 4-2 success over Dundee Stats, a goal at Guildford Flames, an assist at Nottingham Panthers and a goal v Sheffield Steelers, an impressive five-point streak.
The 29-year-old from Lerum has also linked well with 41-year-old David Booth, one of the two recent National Hockey League recruits along with Milan Lucic.
The former Round 3, 87th overall draft pick by Phoenix Coyotes in 2014 is an imposing 6ft 2in tall, and the wing or centre is a handful for opposing teams.
In the last three seasons, he has played in Denmark, Norway and his native country and he is described as a physical forward and a workhorse.
And Karlsson will undoubtedly be a key man when Flyers check-in at second-placed, Cardiff Devils, on Saturday, and visit Coventry Blaze 24-hours later in a key basement battle.
Yes, the Cardiff game is important, all games are in this league, but they are in the top two with 46 points from 31 games, tucked in behind pace-setting Belfast Giants who have 48 points from 30 starts.
Fife, currently, are fighting to reach eighth position which guarantees a play-off spot so Sunday’s game is arguably more important. Before the weekend skirmishes, second-bottom Fife have 18 points from 32 games, with seventh-placed Blaze on 31 points from 32 fixtures.
If Fife are to make the play-offs then it will almost certainly be at the expense of Coventry or Glasgow Clan who are now eighth with 29 points from 31 games.
The pair squared-up at Braehead on Friday and Blaze won 5-2, with Guildford Flames in sixth spot with 31 points from 31 fixtures, but the Midlands club have come into form.
They have taken ten points out of the last 12 points available in their last six outings, a measure of the task facing head coach, Jamie Russell, and his men.
Blaze recorded a 4-1 win over Fife on their last visit on Sunday, November 9, and, overall, and Fife have been unable to earn any points from their last five visits to The SkyDome.
On the plus side, they have posted one win over Coventry this term, and Giordano Finoro has goals in each of the three games against Blaze this season. The series started with a 4-1 road win for Coventry back on Saturday, October 25.
The Midlands club recorded a second 4-1 victory on Sunday, November 8 on Blaze ice Fife hit back with a 5-3 home win on Saturday, December 13. Surprise, surprise, Karlsson was prominent with three assists that night, including the empty net goal which clinched the points.
IN FOCUS: Derek young captured this shot against Cardiff Devils
