Cardiff Devils 3 - 1 Fife Flyers

Faceoff: 18:00 - 13/01/13

Cardiff Devils registered their first home win of 2013 in a tense and tight game against the Fife Flyers.

With both defences on top in the early stages of game neither side were able to create many clear chances. Cardiff actually came closest to opening the scoring whilst killing a Jess Gimblett penalty but were repeatedly denied by Fife netminder Bryan Pitton. Just when it looked like the first period would end goalless, Phil Hill fired in a shot from the blueline that Pitton misjudged and the puck bounded in off his shoulder.

Fife started the second period brightly but within three minutes it was Cardiff who extended their lead thanks to perseverance from Josh Batch. After seeing his tip in front of the net saved, Batch pounced on the rebound only for his quick shot to hit the post. The Flyers must have thought they had seen out the danger but once again Batch was first to the loose puck and fired it in from the tightest of angles.

Cardiff dominated the rest of the period as the Flyers started to run into penalty trouble, but despite heavily outshooting their visitors the Devils couldn’t score the further goals they deserved. It meant that Fife went into the final period still in touch and after a mix-up behind the Cardiff net, John Dolan was presented with the easiest of finishes into the unguarded net.

The game flowed from end to end as both teams looked to score the vital next goal and with three minutes to go it was the Devils who got it. Batch stole the puck to set Blight off on a counter-attack, and he timed his pass to Faulkner to perfection for the league’s top goalscorer to fire into the roof of the net and seal a deserved 3-1 victory.