Friday 27 March 2015

Flyers Weekend Update 27/3/2014

So here we are, it's quite possibly the final time this season that I will have the chance to do one of these. Thought I would jump at the chance. At the end of a season that produced 5-1-0-2 record in the Challenge Cup and finished with a 22-27-0-3 record in the league, the Flyers find themselves in the final playoff place. Who are the opposition this weekend? Only the newly crowned league champions who are vying for a playoff win to match what they earned  last season.

In the 4 games between both sides this season, the Steelers have come out on top on every occasion. The season opener was a tense affair, with the Flyers coming close in a 6-5 shootout loss. The game was notable for Josh Scoon's excellent solo effort to open the scoring:

The following night, the steelers showed their strength running out 8-1 winners in what stands as the biggest defeat of the season:

Mind you the Flyers weren't the only team to fall at the hands of Matthieu Roy and co, look what they did to the excellent Cardiff Devils in what was a title showdown:


The Flyers will hope that their luck at the Motorpoint takes more the form of their  visit in the 2013/14 season:

Rather than the final visit this season, which was a 6-1 loss. In two visits to the Steel City the Flyers have been outscored at a rate of 14-2:
First though the Flyers need to perform in Kirkcaldy against opposition that have proven difficult to play against:

The Flyers will only be effective with all players pushing for the win so need to avoid any moments of madness like this:

Todd Dutiaume was in defiant mood in the weeks Fife Free Press:


The Flyers have revelled in the past as the underdog. In fact some of the close results going the wrong way are perhaps the end-product of no longer being the underdog. There has certainly been a change in expectations this season, with potentially just 120 minutes left in the season the siege mentality of previous years may need to make a return. If we need an example of what this mentality can produce, we only need to look at the game in early 2012/13 season where a Kris Hogg hattrick inspired the Flyers to victory:

Allan Crowe of the Fife Free Press has chronicled the history of the Flyers and the Steelers in an excellent  read:


They are a team that have winning at their heart and will be a formidable opposition for the Flyers this weekend. Just remember what we did in the playoffs last year! The Steelers are not the only team with winning at their heart!

The Flyers had their annual award ceremony at the Bay Hotel. Congratulations to all the award winners:





An interesting stat was revealed today as the season came to a close:


The Flyers have always been effective on the penalty kill, but the addition of Jamie Milam and Chris Auger has added a great dimension to the powerplay. Special teams are something that requires a lot of attention and coaching, I think congratulations are in order for both Todd Dutiaume and Danny Stewart.

Further congratulaions to Flyers fan, Paul Walker, who suited up in a Carolina Hurricanes Alumni match:


This is very cool.

I know I'm obsessed with this but I posed this question on Twitter the other day:


Since the conference system was introduced, is there a more even match up?

And finally...

Ned Lukacevic and Niko Suoraniemi visited St Johnstone Football Club and a familiar face in the form of Ross Cunnigham (former Community Officer for the club):





Both players are excited and happy to be the underdogs, playoff hockey can throw the form book out of the window. The guys have the Playoff Weekend in their sights and want a huge crowd this Saturday! These are exactly the sort of things that has been missing from the club's PR since his departure. It is great that we have managed to get one done before the end of the season.

EDIT: Chris Auger has echoed the confidence that Ned and Niko have shown, the manner of their defeat against Braehead has reinvigorated the team and they are ready for the challenges that the playoffs can bring:

For live updates on Saturday follow: @hockey_laura, @matthewelder_ffp and @fifefreepressed

For live updates on Sunday follow: @hockey_laura

For live updates on what's happening at Nandos follow: @capsbanterarmy

Check out Flyers Year in Review: September, the first in series of a look at the Flyers season. The next in the series Flyers Year in Review: October will be published later today. Read Laura Duff (@hockey_laura) and Andrew Frames' (@aframe88) reviews of the season next week at Murdoch's Hockey Blog.

Follow us on Twitter: @murdochhockey
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