RYAN FINNERTY was left cursing a familiar foe on Sunday night as Fife Flyers got Braehead Clan’s new season off to a losing start.

The Glasgow club were dumped out of the EIHL play-offs last term with a dramatic overtime goal that stunned a packed out Braehead Arena. Just over five months on and history repeated itself.

Meeting in the first competitive game of the season on Challenge Cup duty, a Carlo Finucci effort with just two minutes and 56 seconds before a shootout won the day for the Kirkcaldy club in a 4-3 triumph.

“We created enough chances we just didn’t execute them,” said Finnerty. “We held them to 14 shots and only six of them were inside the house.

“I thought we did a lot of good things. We have some areas that we are very good but there are also areas we must improve on.”

Finucci’s goal was a piece of EIHL history as the first ever to be scored with the new three-on-three overtime format, but it was a game that Clan will be frustrated was allowed to slip through their grasp.

The home side twice took the lead in the first period through Craig Peacock and Scott Pitt while shorthanded with Shayne Stockton and Sebastien Thinel levelling before the first break.

A goalless second period failed to offer up the goal Braehead’s pressure deserved, and they were left chasing the game when Ryan Dingle netted a rebound on the power play.

Despite a host of silly penalties Matt Beca’s excellent solo effort salvaged a stalemate for the hosts, who then went on to strike post in overtime, before Fife stole the points.

Flyers’ man of the match was unsurprisingly Shane Owen who had a total of 40 shots peppered at his goal. Despite his heroics though, Finnerty was also critical of his own team’s penalties, including four in the final period that made life difficult for his side.

“I’m disappointed at our discipline,” added the Clan head coach. “Some penalties you can handle and you can kill but those we took at the end you can’t take that.

“When you are chasing a game it’s hard, although we did show good character to come back.

“We controlled the whole game. We made some mistakes that cost us. If their goalie can make those saves all year they will be an incredibly good team.”