Capitals 5, Fife Flyers 8: Weekend of frustration

Dylan Anderson watches as a deflected puck flies over Jordan Marrs net. Pic: Ian Coyle

The Caps can take huge positives from a game where they scored five times against the Gardiner Conference winners, but ultimately it was another defeat as two more chances to increase on the paltry 11 points they have won went awry.

It left Capitals interim coach Mike D’Orazio feeling positive about what he saw from this team, especially after arriving back from Cardiff on Sunday morning on the back of an 8-0 loss, but still rued errors that proved costly.

“We played a good game against Fife and the effort was certainly there from the players. We made a good effort considering we only got back from Cardiff at 7am on Sunday morning,” D’Orazio said.

Ainars Podzin (66) and Michael Ireland buzz around Jordan Marr in the Flyers net

“After the way the game went on Saturday, we talked about the reaction and the work ethic we put in was pleasing to see. We lapsed a bit in the second period and they got a few goals from that. Overall, it was good to see in parts.

“We’re bit shorthanded and tired after the run of games we’ve had this week, but we’ll have day off on Monday then on the road to Nottingham on Tuesday.

The visitors took the lead in their latest visit to Murrayfield as Chase Schaber got on the end of the assist by Liam Heelis to put Flyers one up before Capitals defenceman Tyler Plews finished one unassisted to the delight of the Murrayfield faithful.

You sensed Fife wouldn’t let things end there and after a weekend where they’d already lost their two games, they would push for the lead and it duly arrived as Jim Jorgensen fed Charlie Mosey, who sniped a terrific shot into the roof of the net.

An error let the Flyers in for their third of the night when Caps lost possession at the blue line, with Peter LeBlanc, fresh from his hat-trick against Edinburgh on Tuesday, scoring his fourth over Mike D’Orazio’s men to make it 3-1.

Schaber’s second of the game saw the Flyers take advantage of a three-on-one breakaway after the restart with Shayne Stockton adding a fifth with his shot from the top of the circle and it became very comfortable for the visitors.

Capitals hit back as Dylan Anderson showed great tenacity to get the puck over the line to close the gap to three, but once more Fife were celebrating as Schaber hit one in from behind the net, with Carlo Finucci batting in to score on the powerplay.

The home side struck again as Ainars Podzins blasted one into the net five minutes into the third period, but once more the Flyers didn’t allow the celebrations to last long when Dan Correale finished from Danick Gauthier.

Another from Anderson as he drove at the net closed the gap to 7-4, but Stockton’s second re-established the four-goal gulf just when it seemed the Caps were making in-roads although Harry Ferguson added a fifth a short time later.

It ended another weekend of woe from Edinburgh as a trip to Cardiff on Saturday ended in an 8-0 whitewash as the champions-elect got themselves a step closer to reclaiming their crown from last season.

Two from Patrick Asselin and one each from Matthew Myers, Joey Haddad, Jake Morrissette, Mark Richardson, Matt Pope and Gleason Fournier made it another one-sided score as Edinburgh struggled in Ice Arena Wales.