Flyers into semis with dramatic late goal and shootout win!

Photo: Flyers Images

Fife Flyers tied the game up with 69 seconds remaining and then had Zack Phillips to thank for the sudden-death shootout winner to send them into their first-ever Viaplay Challenge cup Semi-Final!

Dundee led three times on the night at Fife Ice Arena, taking the lead at 4:07 with a gritty drive to the net which forced the puck over the line, but Flyers were level at 11:11 with a powerplay goal from Phillips short side.

Carter Folk's smart pass into the slot set up Carter Folk for a Stars powerplay goal at 15:57 to put Dundee back ahead before the first intermission. 13:55 into period two, the Flyers were guilty of not clearing their own zone and good work from the Stars eventually led to Elijah Barriga slotting the puck home at the back post to make it a 3-1/lead for the visitors. The hosts responded through Phillips 28 seconds later after Colin Joe turned the puck over behind his own net allowing Janne Laakkonen to feed Phillips in the slot to shoot past Anton Svensson. 

Four minutes into period three, Phillips found himself with time and space to pick his spot and shoot past Svensson for the tying goal, his hat trick goal. Dundee, however, were not done and got themselves back into the lead just shy of four minutes later - Johan Eriksson was the beneficiary of a rebound from a Ryan Verrier shut to put the Stars back ahead on the powerplay. The Flyers had chances to tie things up but let a powerplay opportunity slide as the game entered its final stages. 

With Owen pulled and six skaters out, Brayden Sherbinin finally made the home side's pressure count with a slapshot from the point past a screened Svensson with 68 seconds remaining.

Overtime was end to end, and tense. The Flyers had the lion's share of the possession, but arguably the best chance to win it fell to Barriga who somehow shot over from point-blank range in the slot.

With no winner during 3on-3 hockey, the game and Quarter-Final was to be decided on penalty shots. The teams were tied at two each after five rounds with Philippe Sanche tying things up for the Stars with their fifth shot but after Barriga missed it fell to Phillips to win it in sudden death for the Flyers.