Last weekend so the long awaited return of top level hockey to Kirkcaldy and Fife Ice Arena.Much has been made of Fife’s admission to the Elite Ice Hockey League with many fans speculating that Flyers will be the leagues whipping boys after rumours of having a reduced import quota.
The weekends ‘friendly’ double header with Dundee Stars will have opened some of those fans eyes and made people sit up and notice, Fife will be no-one’s piñata, see what we did there.
Despite icing a team of only 4 imports, Matt Cohen’s arrival having been delayed to Hurricane Irene, and full British contingent, Fife put in a fantastic display over the both games.
Player/coach, and Fife veteran of 13 years Todd Dutiaume gave his thoughts on the weekends games and has taken many positive from what he saw from his young Brits making the step up and new boys Siddall, Stewart, Bowie and Brencis.
“Danny has a tremendous amount of Elite experience and he easily adjusted to the game because of that experience he has in his locker. He is aware of the pace that teams play at at this level. Danny showed what a team player he is going to be by bouncing back from a big hit and recovering well still to go back out on the ice.”
“Aigars has shown throughout training over the past couple of weeks he will be completely committed to the cause, he is physically big and won’t be a push over, he did tire quicker than some of the others boys so he will have to work on his cardio, but he knows that and is working on it."
Dutiaume also had huge praise for new import Matt Siddall and his all round team contribution. As well as huge praise for Steven McAlpine, who was playing along side Siddall and Stewart, and Tommy Muir. “Tommy found himself in a very difficult position [after an on ice incident] when AJ MacLean come onto the ice from their bench and jumped Tommy from behind. There are some things in hockey that you just don’t do, and that is one of them. If you want to have a go with someone on the ice you don’t do it from behind when the other guy isn’t expecting it. Tommy will never back down to any challenge, and I am glad that he wasn’t unfazed by it and took it in his stride and clearly came out the winner. It was a little bit of sweet justice”.
Flyers now turn their attention to the weekend ahead with the visit of Coventry Blaze to Fife Ice Arena this Saturday (17th September 7:15pm face-off) for their first visit in 6 years, since the collapse of the former British National League. Dutiaume expects a much different type of game this weekend to that of the Dundee ones. “Coventry will come here and they will be passing the puck more, throwing more hits, skating harder. The league has now begun so everything will have stepped up a gear and that goes for us too. We have some inside scoop with having Danny with us [who spent 4 years playing with Coventry]. The games will now be cranked up a level. Coventry will be a top 3 or 4 side this season so we are not fouling ourselves in to thinking is it going to nothing less than difficult. We have taken a lot of confidence from this weekend and we will build on that and be up for when the game comes on Saturday.”
For a more in-depth match analysis of the weekends games be sure to pick up a copy of Fife Flyers match night programme at the game on Saturday when Coventry Blaze visit Fife Ice Arena in the opening EIHL game, on sale for £2.00.
