Dundee Stars head coach Marc Lefebvre yesterday warned his squad about the influence of the crowd at the Fife Ice Arena ahead of the club’s Elite League visit tomorrow.
Lefebvre has experienced the Rosslyn Street welcome many times and is acutely aware that Fife’s passionate fans can lift the club.
The Kirkcaldy club prop up the league but the Stars chief said: “The atmosphere lifts Fife when they are at home and my message to my guys is to do what they have been doing recently find a way to win.
“It won’t be easy. Fife are determined to move off the bottom of the table and Manchester, who are a point above them in ninth place, also want to move up the table.
“They are getting better all the time and it is up to us to concentrate on what we are doing. We’re continuing to work hard in training and recognise that there are no easy nights in this league.”
Stars also entertain Manchester Storm, the newest team in the division, on Sunday in the Elite League.
Lefebvre reports no injury worries ahead of the double-header.
Flyers boss Danny Stewart last night fired up his underperfoming squad.
Stewart, whose side have four points from six games and travel to Edinburgh Capitals on Sunday after the Stars clash, said: “It is early days, but we don’t want to be where we are in the table.
“We don’t see ourselves as a last-placed team and we are seeing a response from the guys. The thing is that we are still making mistakes and there is no reason why.
“The work-rate is there and it is not easy to hold a team going as well as Cardiff are to 16 shots. But guys are individually accountable and when they make mistakes that is not under our control.”
Stewart added: “It is a very tough league from top to bottom this season. You must be on your game night in and night out and players are accountable.”
Meanwhile, Dundee Tigers will be seeking to erase the disappointment of last weekend’s home defeat against Aberdeen Lynx when they travel to the Granite City for the re-match.
Tigers travel with a full squad and are determined to come away with all the points.
Tigers can expect a highly-charged atmosphere and Tigers star Paul Guilcher, who scored twice in last Sunday’s 8-4 defeat, said: “Aberdeen get a large home support, so getting a firm grip on the game from the start is essential.”