Giordano Finoro netted deep in sudden death overtime to secure a first win of the Elite League season for injury-ravaged Fife Flyers.
The Fifers came from behind to enjoy a two-goal cushion with less than nine minutes remaining but Manchester Storm hit back to level with just over three minutes left.
Jamie Russell’s men kept their cool and counted in the extra session, and the 6-5 result will cheer fans at The Fife Ice Arena ahead of Sunday’s home clash with high-flying Cardiff Devils (17.00).
Earlier, it took Fife 10min 40sec to break through at Planet Ice Altrincham, in front of a crowd of 1,864, Andrew McLean beating Storm netminder Evan Weninger after being set up by debutant, Anton Karlsson.
The home side hit back after 16min 09sec when Brady Gilmour netted assisted by Brendon Clavelle and former Glasgow Clan star Gary Haden.
Storm edged ahead only 48sec into the middle session when Stephen Johnson beat Shane Owen on the power play and before fists flew with both sides logging penalty minutes.
Fife, however, levelled short-handed when Keaton Jameson was set up by defenceman Jonas Emmerdahl. Time: 29min 57sec.
Their joy was short-lived when Manchester went ahead again, Johnson scoring his second on the power play on 31min 20sec, but Fife were not to be denied.
Jamieson levelled shorthanded on 31min 56sec after good work from Ethan Somoza and Simon Despres so it was all square going into the final session.
Only 3min 26sec into the period Karlsson celebrated his first game for Fife with the go ahead goal with Ian Scheid and Despres providing the ammunition.
And it got even better for the league bottom markers when Johan Porsberger was set up by Giordano Finoro for No 5 at 51min 39sec, giving the men from the Kingdom a two goal cushion at a critical time.
The question was, could they hold on for their first league win of the season? Dante Hannoun made them sweat when he netted for Storm after 55min 47sec, cutting the lead to one to set up a nail-biting finish.
Desperate Storm boss, Cam Cricthlow, whose men have cruised to victories in the two previous matches between the pair at The Storm Shelter, called a timeout at 56min 33sec in a bid to get back on level terms.
He withdrew his netminder Weninger to have six skaters and the ploy worked 13 seconds later as Gilmour was set up by Brandon Cutler to make it 5-5 on 56min 44sec.
The sides were deadlocked at the end of regulation time and an extra session was ordered and Somoza set up 27-year-old dual national Finoro for the game-winner 3min 57sec into sudden death overtime.
PICTURE: Jamie Russell, Fife’s head coach, pictured by Scott Wiggins
