Fife Flyers have set the date for their Challenge Cup elimination tie.

They take on Guildford Flames at Fife Ice Arena on Wednesday, December 9 - with the prize of a place in the semi-finals up for grabs.

It is the first game of its kind after the Elite League tweaked the format for the opening competition of the ice hockey season.

The cup’s structure, with one group of four and one of six, created an imbalance in the number of games teams play - Group A competed over ten games, while Group B, which featured Flyers and the other Scottish sides, had 12.

The section winners - Sheffield Steelers and Belfast Giants - automatically advanced to the semi-finals - along with Cardiff Devils, runners-up in Group A.

That left one spot open which is the prize on offer in the head to head between Flyers and Guildford Flames, who finished third in Group A.

And that game will also be the first this season which won’t be determined by a penalty shoot out either.

At the start of this season, the Elite League’s board decided to scrap the three on three finale and shoot outs for all elimination games - including the Challenge Cup semi-finals, play-off quarter finals and semis - and create a new format. In any games which end in deadlock, the teams will first play a full 20-minute period of five on five sudden-death overtime after a full intermission.

If no winner is found, they will have a break and play continuous periods of three on three sudden death overtime until the winning goal is scored.

Tickets go on sale from Monday, November 23 - adults £24, concessions £18, young person £13 and children £9