The Flyers were looking bring to and end their losing run in Sheffield that stretched back to 2018. The visitors were once again without Charles-Antoine Paiement, Brodie Kay and Aiden Wilson with James Spence and Cameron Keny also scratched. The Steelers who handed Reece Kelly a debut had a full roster but scratched Kevin Tansey, Joel Janatuinen, Ivan Bjorkly Nordstrom and Maxim Golod.

The home side had the first shot of the match when Shane Owen made a blocker save on Colton Saucerman after 30 seconds. Mitchell Balmas had a clear sight of the Flyers net in the 1^st minute but flashed the puck just wide of the post. In the 3^rd minute Jordan Stallard put the puck on net with a backhand shot from distance but it was a routine save for Matt Greenfield. The Flyers had another effort on the Steelers net a minute later when Patrick Kyte forced a pad save from Greenfield. Dominic Cormier from the high slot was denied by an Owen shoulder save but in the 6^th minute the home side opened the scoring when Balmas won the puck along the boards and drove the net before he dished the puck to the back door for Mikko Juusola to hit a wide open net. In the 9^th minute Lucas Chiodo showed some speed down the right wing and tried the wraparound on Greenfield who was alert to get across post to post. Owen denied Juusola with a stick save a minute later. In the 15^th minute Brandon Whistle from close range tried a through the legs shot that Owen shut down and moments later the Fife keeper was alert again when he once against stopped Whistle who tipped the puck on net from the slot. A Daniel Leavens individual effort produced a toe save from Owen. Greenfield made a blocker save from a Kyte shot from the point in the 16^th minute. Owen then made a big pad save a minute later on a one timer from Balmas. The Steelers went on the first power play of the night when Olivier LeBlanc was called for tripping in the final minute. Robert Dowd almost grabbed a second goal in the final second but his effort was wide of target.

The Flyers completed the kill to start the second period as they kept the Steelers to the outside. Joona Huttula standing at the edge of the Flyers crease was denied by Owen who shut the wickets in the 23^rd minute. Moments later and Owen was aggressively out of his crease to take the net away on a Cormier blast from the high slot. The Steelers doubled their lead in the 26^th minute as Balmas took the puck for a skate in the Flyers zone and as he had Owen dragged out of position his shot was deflected wide of goal to fall nicely into the path of Samuel Tremblay who had an easy task of hitting the wide open net. In the 27^th minute Cormier blew a tyre along the boards and the Flyers got a chance when Daniel Krenželok saw Greenfield turn his shot around the post with his pad. In the 29^th minute Leavens tried to sweep the puck around Owen who moved laterally to make the save. Marc-Olivier Vallerand dipsy doodled his way through the Flyers rearguard in the 31^st minute but Owen made a good stop as he slid across his net to turn the puck away. Tyler Heidt was called for a hook on the play to send the Steelers back to the power play. The Flyers fashioned a 2 on 1 shorthanded chance as PhélixMartineau had Cichy up with him but his attempted pass was cut out by a sliding Cormier as the Steelers transitioned the otherer way and Patrick Watling pulled the puck around the Flyers defenceman and his shot went into the top corner off the pad of Owen. Daniel Ciampini was then denied twice in quick succession by Owen. The Steelers added another goal in the 35^th minute when Reece Kelly put the puck on net and Mark Simpson cruising through the slot got a tip to send it high over a helpless Owen. The Flyers netminder was at full stretch a minute later to prevent a puck going past him off the skate of a Flyer. Kieran Craig forced a comfortable save from Greenfield in the final seconds of the period.

Balmas had a clear look at goal 30 seconds into the third period but Owen stood up and made a pad save. The Flyers responded with an odd man break but Massimo Carozza put the puck wide of the net from close range. The home side hit a fifth goal in the 44^th minute when Tremblay played a no look back pass that opened up the ice for Juusola to take the puck to the net and his backhand went over the pad and off the post. In the 46^th minute Watling went to the net and fell into Owen as the Steelers player appealed for a trip. The Flyers went on their only man advantage of the night in the 48^th minute when Tremblay got the gate for a trip. A shot up high from Martineau almost fooled Greenfield but he managed to hang on to the puck. The Flyers controlled possession and got their reward for some patient build up when a Heidt shot from distance was spilled by the Steelers goalie and Kieran Craig was on hand to swat the bouncing puck into the net. Craig went close again in the 51^st minute when Greenfield denied him on a wraparound attempt. A minute later and the Steelers added another as a shot from Watling hit the glass behind Owen and Leavens was on hand to take the puck around the net and squeeze it into the net on a wraparound. Greenfield was relieved at that point with Curtis Warburton coming into the net. The back up netminder was tested by Ben Brown as he made a kick save and then he gloved a shot from Kyte. With 4 minutes remaining Martineau was called for a trip and the Steelers got another one on the board on the power play. It was a significant goal as Robert Dowd became the Steelers all time leading scorer when he found the net from the side of Owen’s net. Craig was penalized in the final minute for a hook and the Steelers again made their extra man count as Marc-Olivier Vallerand went top shelf over the stick of Owen with a shot from the circles. In the final couple of seconds the Flyers survived a rolling puck in behind Owen who managed to recover and get the whistle.

Pic Credits – Dean Wooley

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