Fife Flyers star Justin Fox hopes to make their fans proud at this weekend’s Elite League play-off semi-finals at Nottingham
He praised the travelling support who cheered them to a historic sudden-death victory at Braehead Clan on Sunday.
The Canadian-born right-winger, one of Fife’s assistant captains, revealed the atmosphere at Fife Ice Arena in Kirkcaldy on Saturday when Flyers won 2-1 was the noisiest he has ever experienced.
Fox said: “The crowd gives us so much energy. I can’t say enough about the fans who have travelled all over the country backing us.”
A number have already booked to be at the play-off semi-finals and Fox said: “I’m not worried about who we get (in the semi-final). Our focus must be on playing our systems right and hopefully, we can come out on top.
“We will have to beat the best in the league to do that. Coventry won their quarter-final series against newly-crowned champions Sheffield Steelers and they beat the best team.”
Flyers will play Belfast Giants or Nottingham Panthers in the semi-final on Saturday at 5pm, it was confirmed on Monday night.
Cardiff Devils will face last year’s winners Coventry Blaze in the first semi-final at 1pm. The winners will meet in the Grand Final on Sunday at 4pm with the losing semi-finalists meeting in the third v fourth-placed game at Noon.
Fox described the feeling at the end of Sunday’s nerve-jangling game at the packed Braehead Arena as incredible.
TJ Caig fired the winning goal 22 seconds from the end of the five-minute extra period.
Fox said: “Braehead put up a good fight. We were pressing and they were pressing but TJ stepped up big for us (with two goals).
“The goals from Ryan Dingle and Kyle Haines during the final two minutes in the first leg were really, really crucial.
“Sometimes it is not the prettiest of goals that count but you have to win games like that to succeed.”
Fife’s euphoria is in direct contrast to the mood in the Dundee Stars dressing-room.
Stars battled to a 4-2 victory at Cardiff Devils on Saturday but lost 4-1 at Dundee Ice Arena in the return 24 hours later, with coach Marc Lefebvre admitting that the defeat will take a couple of days to sink in.
He said: “Everyone in the dressing-room should be proud of their contribution this season and I appreciate them coming to Dundee this year.
“I will miss coaching this group. They fought hard (over the two legs) but it was not meant to be.”
Meanwhile, Dundee Tigers stalwart Ian Carstairs yesterday admitted his disappointment at missing out on a place in the Scottish Cup Final.
Tigers were edged out by Edinburgh Capitals 2-1 after penalty shots in the semi-final at Murrayfield on Sunday.