Lowly Fife Flyers led three times but had to rely on ice cool Louis Chiodo who slotted in a shootout to claim two valuable points in the race for a play-off spot.
Fife netminder Shane Owen stopped all five of the shots he faced in the shootout and Chiodo’s goal in the opening round turned out to be the game winner and stunned the crowd of around 3,100 as second-placed Cardiff Devils outshot the Kirkcaldy club 50-25.
Coach Tom Coolen’s men, who occupy the eighth and final play-off spot, had to play short-handed during sudden death overtime after a penalty called for having too many men on the ice.
It was Troy Lajeunesse who opened the scoring for Fife after 32 seconds but they were pegged back. Collin Shirley put the visitors ahead again on a breakaway after 22 minutes but Devils bounced back.
And 25-year-old Chiodo, one of the smallest players in the Elite League, made it 3-2 four minutes later only for Devils to level for a third time.
Other Saturday scores: Sheffield, the runaway league leaders, beat bottom club, Nottingham Panthers 3-2 in Yorkshire after a shootout, Glasgow Clan were edged 3-2 by Manchester Storm in Braehead and Belfast Giants beat Guildford Flames 3-1 in Northern Ireland.
Only two games on Sunday, Glasgow visit Cardiff while Coventry entertain Sheffield.
PICTURE: Shane Owen under siege at Cardiff on Saturday from James Assinder courtesy of the Elite League
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