Elite League: Sheffield Steelers 5, Fife Flyers 2
Fife Flyers head for Belfast Giants in the Challenge Cup on Saturday after skidding to a 5-2 Elite League defeat at Sheffield Steelers in front of a 9,000-plus crowd.
The Kirkcaldy club gave the men from The House of Steel a scare, leading twice early on, but Steelers hit back with a 3-0 final period surge.
Flyers’ head coach, Tom Coolen (pictured on Flyers’ bench), was looking for a reaction from his injury-hit men after back-to-back defeats last weekend and Fife shocked home fans when they went ahead after 3min 18sec.
Phelix Martineau netted unassisted but just over four minutes later the home sie were level, Marc-Olivier Vallerand keeping his cool to convert a penalty shot.
But that set-back failed to rattle Flyers and Martineau grabbed his and Fife’s second 1min 01sec into the middle session with Lucas Chiodo and Michael Cichy setting up the chance.
Back came Steelers and Mikko Juusola provided the final touch after 27 minutes to level at 2-2.
The visitors were being outshot but they were still in the game at the second break however that changed 47sec into the third when Dominic Cormier scored to move the home side ahead for the first time.
And Finlay Ulrick was set up by Patrick Watling and Brien Diffley for No 4 in the 52nd minute before Watling put the result beyond doubt with an empty net goal with one minute remaining for a 5-2 final scoreline.
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