GAME REPORT: GLASGOW 3 FIFE FLYERS 1
The Premier Sports sponsored Glasgow Clan kickstarted their competitive season in style with a 3-1 home win over the Fife Flyers in the Challenge Cup.
Chris McKay got the Clan on the front foot early as he ripped a shot from between the dots that was shouldered clear by Shane Owen.
Josh Winquist was called for a slashing infraction during McKay’s shot and Jeremy Masella was penalised for hooking, giving the Clan an early four-minute long 5-on-4 powerplay.
Glasgow failed to capatalise on this though, with Sami Aittokallio even having to pull off a low blocker save to prevent a shorthanded goal for the Flyers.
This didn’t waiver the Clan’s mentality though as they continued to dominate possession and generate offensive chances to test Owen and the Fife defence.
It wasn’t long before Brett Neumann found a way through for Glasgow as Tristin Langan layed the puck off to him in front of the net and he rolled it into the bottom corner to take the lead.
Before the end of the period, Neumann grabbed his and the Clan’s second when Brayden Burke’s shot was saved but the rebound was spilled by Owen and the #68 slammed it high into the Flyers’ net.
Both goaltenders had a strong first period though, with Owen calling off some promising chances for Glasgow including a pad save on a Mitchell Heard breakaway while Aittokallio kept the lights off at the other end of the ice.
Justin Ducharme got the Flyers back into the mix in the second period as he sliced a shot from close range on a first time shot from Johan Porsberger’s layoff.
Cade Neilson quickly got the Clan back into a two-goal lead though when Richard Jarusek played a perfect pass right onto his tape and he zipped a shot past Owen.
The remainder of the period was littered with penalties and some big time saves as Owen faced 13 shots on net from Glasgow forwards but kept the score at 3-1 going into the third period.
Jason Fram generated a golden opportunity early in the third period as he rounded the Flyers’ net and slid the puck to Rylan Schwartz in the crease but he couldn’t control it in time to get a shot off.
Neilson then came close to grabbing a second for himself after a slick passage of play with Hugo Roy, Joe Hazeldine, and Richard Jarusek fizzing tape-to-tape passes around the offensive zone before Neilson’s shot flew just wide of the net.
Aittokallio continued his strong night in net as he snatched Winquist’s long range bomb out of the air with ease in the closing minutes.
The Flyers pulled Shane Owen to the bench for an extra attacker for the final two minutes on a push to find an equaliser, but it wouldn’t come as the Clan closed out the night as 3-1 victors over their Scottish rivals!
