Todd Dutiaume believes Fife Flyers’ first period effort against Cardiff Devils on Sunday was the best performance his team have produced at home this season.

Flyers’ 4-0 victory over the table-topping Devils took them up to second in the Elite League table, but Dutiaume isn’t getting carried away just yet.

“It was a good team performance – I think our first period was maybe the best we’ve had in this building this year,” he told Flyers TV.

“I think it’s important to take note that there was no system change, no personnel change, the difference in that game was that we had the work ethic.

“You could tell the guys were committed to playing that game. Cardiff had an excellent push-back in the second period and had us running around a bit – that’s the reason they are the top team in the country right now, they are a great hockey club.

“It’s important for us to recognise that we don’t want that to be considered a special performance, we want to be considered on the performances we put in week in and week out.

“If the guys bring that level of work and commitment, we don’t cut corners and we don’t cheat, we’re capable of putting in performances like that every week.

“I’m happy for the guys – I’ve been hard on them that past couple of weeks, but we needed it and they responded better than I could have expected.”

(Image permission: Fife Flyers)