The Flyers were looking to pick up league points on the back of their Challenge Cupo success the night before in Belfast as the hosted the defending Grand Slam Sheffield Steelers who were making their first visit to the Fife Ice Arena. The visitors were without Colton Saucerman, Joel Janatuinen along with their four two way skaters. The Flyers returned Shane Owen as starter and also welcomed back Michael Cichy as Fynn Page, Janis Voris and James Spence were scratched along with the injured Austin Farley.

The Flyers opened the game brightly and the first effort on goal came after 40 seconds when Ryan Foss saw his shot saved by the shoulder of Matt Greenfield. The Flyers threatened again in the 2^nd minute after a loose puck behind the net was fed out front and Nikolai Shulga tested Greenfield. The visitors however shocked the home crowd by taking the lead in the 3^rd minute when Veeti Vainio had a shot from the slot which pinged the post and the puck fell onto the stick of Mark Simpson who on the turn fired past Owen.  A minute later Patrick Watling was called for a high stick to give the Flyers the games first power play opportunity. The Flyers controlled the puck from the face off win and Michael Cichy had the first two effort that were well saved by Greenfield. Flyers continued to possess the puck after further face off wins and they eventually worked the puck down to Ryan Foss who slipped it inside to Cichy and his pass across crease was buried by Lucas Chiodo.  The Steelers were on their first power play in the 6^th minute when Maxim Musorov was called for tripping but the Flyers penalty kill came up strong preventing the Steelers from registering a single shot on the Fife goal. Greenfield was again in action in the 9^th minute when Chiodo set up Phélix Martineau whose shot hit the Steelers stopper on the shoulder. Brodie Kay was next to threaten a minute later as his shot was just wide of target. Sacha Guimond found all sorts of time and space in the 11^th minute and his booming slapshot was well saved by Owen. The Steelers had an odd man rush in the 14^th minute and Owen again did well to shut down Patrick Watling who shot from the right circles. Chances were coming at both ends as Mitchell Balmas was denied by Owen and then Chiodo on a partial breakaway tested Greenfield with a backhand shot. The Flyers went back on the man advantage in the 18^th minute as Daniel Leavens was binned for interference. The Flyers struggled to set up  in the Sheffield zone who themselves created a couple of shorthanded chances. Firstly on a 2 on 1 Owen did well to deny Daniel Ciampini with a pad save and he again stopped an odd man rush moments later. As the penalty was ending Daniel Krenželok forced a save from Greenfield which was the final action of the period.

The second period started with the visitors controlling most of the play.  In the 24^th minute Patrick Kyte had a long range shot saved by Greenfield and the Steelers went the other way with Guimond going down the boards and his pass found Cole Shudra who beat Owen. The Flyers responded almost immediately with a great chance from a drop pass but Maxim Musorov fired his shot wide from good position. It was sustained pressure however at this point from the Steelers who cycled the puck well in the Flyers zone and Owen was happy to cover the puck up  and get a whistle to allow them to regroup. Steelers were penalised again in the 26^th minute when Maxim Golod got the gate for a high stick. Chiodo was first to threaten on the Flyers power play as his snap shot was sticked away by Greenfield before the Sheffield keeper produced stop on Martineau. Chiodo again had a chance and eventually Greenfield covered up with Martineau on his doorstep looking for a loose puck. Just as the Steelers completed their kill Krenželok had a shot on the short side that Greenfield saved with a skate as the nets came off their moorings.  Kyte got everything on his shot in the 32nd minute from the top of the slot but Greenfield stood tall with a fine glove save. A fine defensive play moments later by Olivier LeBlanc broke up a dangerous Steelers attack and in the 35^th minute Tyler Heidt saw his wrister kicked out by Greenfield. Martineau was next to threaten the Steelers goal and Greenfield then saved the shot from the rebound from Chiodo. In the 37^th minute the Steelers  went back om the power play when Martineau was called for boarding. Kyte made a stellar defensive play with a shot block on a slapshot by Golod. Owen then stopped Robert Dowd’s rising shot as the Flyers survived with Martineau returning to the ice and breaking away with the puck but he rushed his shot which sailed over the crossbar.

Sheffield started the third with a great deal of pressure around the Flyers net and in the first couple of minutes the home side struggled to get the puck out of their own zone. In the 43^rd minute Musorov danced around a Sheffield defender but his back hand shot lacked the power to seriously trouble Greenfield. In the 44^th minute a Shudra shot was saved by Owen and Dowd put the rebound wide of target. In the 48^th minute Owen made a double save on Dowd who got free in centre ice and was twice denied by the pads of the Fife keeper. The Flyers were once again on the power play in the 49^th minute when Leavens was penalised for a trip. During the delayed penalty call Krenželok forced Greenfield to deflect the puck over the glass. The Flyers with the man advantage failed to get anything set up and the Steelers completed a comfortable kill. In the 51^st minute a giveaway by the Flyers at their own blueline saw the Steelers break with 4 men against two but Owen made a fine save. Greenfield saved from Martineau in the 52^nd minute and 60 seconds later Owen likewise denied Ciampini. Kyte had a big slapshot saved in the 55^th minute and Greenfield followed that up with a stop on Martineau. Leavens was stopped by Owen in the 57^th minute as the game remained finely poised but with just under two minutes to play the Steelers struck with a killer goal. Golod from the boards put the puck on net and Simpson got a tip that saw the puck slide between the legs of Owen. With 90 seconds to go the Flyers called their time out and with a minute on the clock they pulled Owen for the extra skater. Martineau had a shot saved by Greenfield and the loose puck was gathered by Brandon Whistle who played it up to Simpson and on the back hand he found the empty net to claim his hat trick.

Pic Credits – Jillian McFarlane and Derek Young

Fife Flyers are next at home on  Saturday 23rd November when they entertain the Cardiff Devils – tickets can be bought online here:  Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.