Pulkkinen secures game-winner in nail-biting finish

Teemu Pulkkinen tipped the puck into the net which secured a much-needed win over high-flying Belfast Giants after being 2-0 down in the Elite League at The Fife Ice Arena.

The 29-year-old Finnish-born right wing slotted 2min 42sec into the extra session to earn two more valuable points as the Kirkcaldy club scrap for a place in the top eight of the ten-strong division.

That would guarantee a place in the end-of-season play-offs and the win in a tense tussle saw Fife fire 37 shots on the Belfast goaltender Tyler Beskorowany with 38 coming in the other direction on Shane Owen.

Pulkkinen’s strike lifted fired-up Fife into seventh position with 47 points from 49 games, the same points as Glasgow Clan who have played the same number of fixtures and they are sixth.

Below Fife are Coventry Blaze who also have 47 points from 49 games with Dundee Stars two points adrift. Nottingham Panthers prop up the table with 41 points also from 49 games.

The pressure win continued Fife’s late-season run of fine form, but the night started badly when Belfast edged ahead through Ben Lake after ten minutes.

And 57 seconds into the middle session Lake counted again, but Troy Lajeunesse gave Fife a lifeline after 30min 39sec after he was set up by Kyle Osterberg.

And the sides were level at 31min 09sec when Lajeunesse found the net again this time with Kevin Wehrs supplying the ammunition.

Giants went ahead at 3-2 only 64 seconds later to silence the home fans in the crowd of over 2,000 when Daniel Tedesco slotted and the scoreline remained the same until less than five minutes from time.

Latvian player Vitalijs Pavlovs levelled on 55min 17sec after skipper Jonas Emmerdahl and Lajeunesse were involved in the move and the sides were held scoreless until the final whistle.

Into overtime and Tedesco was called for tripping and up stepped Pulkkinen to score with inspirational Lajeunesse and Wehrs setting up the game-winner on the power play.