Steelers outlast tricky Flyers

Photo: Dean Woolley

Sheffield Steelers came out on top against a tricky Fife Flyers side that pushed them for 60 minutes in front of 9,133 fans at the Utilita Arena.

Phelix Martineau gave Fife the lead just 3:18 into the game with an excellent wrist shot into the top corner of Matt Greenfield's net. Marc-Olivier Vallerand levelled with a well-taken penalty shot just over four minutes later in an opening period that saw the Steelers carry a lot of the player but the Flyers very dangerous on the rush.

At the start of period two, Martineau again put the Flyers into an early lead. This time he got on the end of Lucas Ciodo's pass with a shot that came off Greenfield's skate and rolled over the goal line 61 seconds into the period. A Patrick Watling saucer pass was taken excellent by Mikko Juusola who then sniped a shot past Shane Owen to tie the game at 27:53. A late burst in the final stages of the middle period saw Michael Cichy ring a shot off the post as the Flyers stayed very much in the game.

A fortunate reobund from a Brandon Whistle shot, straight to the feed of the on-rushing Dominic Cormier, allowed the Steelers to finally take the lead in the game 47 seconds into the third period. Finlay Ulrick gave them a two-goal advantage with 8:27 left, while Watling added some gloss to the final scoreline with an empty-netter with 60 seconds to play.