Dutiaume rues early penalty trouble away in Surrey

Fife Flyers’ coach Todd Dutiaume admitted that early penalty trouble cost his men as they lost their three game winning run in the Elite League at injuryhit Guildford Flames.

The 4-2 reverse in Surrey – despite being level at 2-2 after 28 minutes – still leaves the Kirkcaldy club at the top of the table with six points from four games.

They are joined on six points by Sheffield Steelers but the Yorkshire side have played five games.

Dutiaume said: “Early penalty trouble we ran into saw us fall behind and that’s very difficult when you are chasing a game on the road.

“The guys did well to battle back but when that third goal went in it was too much of an ask for the team.”

Dutiaume argued that both teams left opportunities to score on the ice and said they were “evenly matched” and it looks like they will be again this season.

His focus now switches attention to week five in the league and a gruelling trip to Belfast Giants in the Challenge Cup on Saturday, with the Northern Irish outfit heading to Kirkcaldy for the return fixture

Meanwhile Flyers have changed the face-off time for a selection of Sunday games at Fife Ice Arena.

The following games, previously scheduled for 6.30pm, will now face-off at 5.30pm – October 6 v Dundee Stars; November 10 v Dundee Stars; December 1 v Guildford Flames; December 8 v Cardiff Devils; December 15 v Guildford Flames.

A Flyers spokesman said: “We have had a lot of feedback from fans around Sunday face-off times. We hope that by bringing the face off forward will help families with young children who found 6.30pm very difficult for them.”

Todd Dutiaume.