Fife Flyers mark 85th anniversary with superb road win over Coventry Blaze

Flyers were behind with just 21 seconds on the clock, and didn’t actually hold the lead until the final two minutes of the game at the Skydome - and the result simply underlined once again the strong work ethic that sits at the core of Tom Coolen’s team.

Forward Troy Lajeunesse took the MoM award with two goals and two assists to underpin the win that secured the best possible start to the league season.

Coventry wasted absolutely no time in getting out of the blocks and were ahead after just 21 seconds through Kobe Roth. Flyers drew level within two minutes Johan Eriksson - back after injury - set up Lajeunesse to ring the red light.

In what was a back and forth opening 20 minutes, Blaze went back ahead 13:44 - James Shearer tapped home into the empty net after an excellent play from Roth to pick our the perfect time for the pass across Shane Owen's crease.

Danny Stewart’s side made it 3-1 just 1:54 into period two, but a pair of goals at the other end brought the Flyers back level very quickly - Ben Hawerchuck struck at 22:07, followed by Eriksson 52 seconds later to tie things up. Ian McNulty's throw on net from behind the goal line took a terrible bounce off Owen's stick and into the net at 37:25 to put the hosts back ahead, but Eriksson responded against at 39:01 to make it 4-4 after 40 minutes.

Things looked to be heading into overtime until a loose shot in the direction of Kozun's net from Lajeunesse somehow found its way into the net to give Flyers their first lead of the night with 1:56 to play. The win was sealed when Kyle Osterberg scored on the empty net with 58 seconds left.

Eighty-five years to the very day of their first ever ice hockey game, this Fife Flyers’ team is reinvigorated and in fine fettle for the challenges ahead.