The Flyers travelled to Sheffield for the second time this season for their opening game of 2026. The visitors were still without Jeremy Masella and Josh Winquist through injury and they were joined by David Booth. Christian Purboo got the start between the pipes. The Steelers were coming off back to back defeats to the Manchester Storm and also a reverse against the Nottingham Panthers and were at full strength with Matt Greenfield getting the nod in net and Derek Gentile a healthy scratch after the warm up.
The first save of the game came in the 1st minute as Greenfield stopped an Ian Scheid shot from the point and 30 seconds later the Steelers goalie was in action again when Logan Neilson tried to beat him short side but Greenfield shut down his former teammate who heard the boo’s from the home fans ringing in his ear every time he touched the puck. The Flyers went close again in the 6th minute with another shot from the blue line by Scheid that Greenfield stopped but the puck lay loose in the blue paint with Ethan Somoza unable to get his stick on it to knock it home. The Steelers went the other way and Purboo had hist first save of the game when he got his blocker on a Ryan Tait shot. In the 7th minute Mikko Juusola brought the puck out of the corner and went to the net and tried to beat Purboo short side who held tight to his post to make the save. A minute later and the Steelers were on the first powerplay of the game as Johan Porsberger was called for a high stick. It was a strong kill by the Flyers who kept the home side to the periphery and they returned to full strength without a shot on Purboo. Moments later however the Steelers threatened as Robert Dowd tried to outwit Purboo but the Steelers captain let the puck slide off his stick. A redirect by Mason Alderson in the 12th minute was well tracked by Greenfield and then in transition Jack Dougherty toe dragged the puck around the Flyers defence but his shot crashed off the crossbar. Purboo held a shot by Evan Jasper on the rush in the 14th minute as the Steelers began to build some momentum and that turned into the opening goal at 14:36 when Mitchell Heard collected the puck behind the Fife net and he beat Purboo with the wraparound. In the 17th minute Jonas Emmerdahl from the high slot tested Greenfield and a minute later a tip by Anton Karlsson in the slot saw Greenfield make a sharp save. The Steelers were back in the powerplay in the final minute as Alderson was binned for a cross check. The Steelers moved the puck around well and when it was fed to Stephen Harper he beat Purboo with a one timer from the right circle that sneaked through the Fife goalies pads.
In the 22nd minute a shot from Brien Diffley went straight into the logo of Purboo who hung on to the puck. Tait went in on Purboo in the 25th minute after being sprung by a stretch pass but he failed to hit the target going blocker side. Moments later a Diffley shot from the blueline was fought off by Purboo as it went through traffic. The Flyers had a glorious chance in the 27th minute as Somoza broke in all alone on Greenfield but he shot high over the crossbar. A minute later and Harper shot wide of the net on a 2 on 1 break away with Patrick Watling and then Greenfield made stop on a Porsberger shot. In the 29th minute Purboo blockered away a shot from distance by Diffley who received the puck again and this time his shot on net was deflected by Samuel Tremblay who had the freedom of Sheffield in front of Purboo with the goal timed at 29:26. Heard had a close in backhand shot saved by Purboo in the 31st minute and Cole Shudra in the 33rd minute saw Purboo blocker his shot into the corner. Somoza threatened the home goal again in the 34th minute as he went forehand backhand to create an opening but the puck slid off his stick before Porsberger had a shot spilled by Greenfield but the Steelers defence were able to clear. In the 36th minute Andrew Mclean flashed a shot wide from distance and moments later Greenfield had to make a save on Justin Ducharme’s slapshot from the circles. The Flyers had another excellent opportunity in the 38th minute as Anton Karlsson stole the puck in his own zone to go in alone on Greenfield who flashed the leather to stop his backhand effort. With 100 seconds to go in the period Simon Despres drew a holding the stick call on Joona Huttula and the Flyers made their first man advantage of the match count. They played the puck around patiently before Porsberger put it into the pads of Greenfield with Somoza whacking away before it broke to Keaton Jameson at the side of the net to fire it home at 39:41.
The Steelers went back on the powerplay in the opening minute of the third period as Giordano Finoro was called for hooking. Watling almost increased the home advantage but his shot fluttered through and glanced the post and then the Flyers produced a shorthanded chance as Karlsson stole the puck behind the Steelers net and in the resulting melee around a sprawling Greenfield Juusola was called for hooking. A short 4 on 4 produced no chances before the Flyers went on the powerplay and good work down low by Jameson set up Somoza at the edge of the crease but Greenfield stoned him and the puck was scrambled clear. Greenfield followed up with a couple more saves as the Steelers completed the kill. Juusola returned to the ice had a shot in the 25th minute go in and out of Purboo’s glove before Finoro was in too tight on the Sheffield goal to be able to beat Greenfield. The Steelers added to their lead at 46:35 after their forecheck and puck battles created a chance for Harper who sniped the top corner over the glove of Purboo from the slot. In the 47th minute the Flyers were back on the powerplay as Tait was binned for a hook and midway through it was a two man advantage as the Juusola was penalised for a slash. Karlsson had a chance at the back post but couldn’t get the puck to go and the Steelers did a good job of blocking shots as they returned to four skaters. With the Flyers powerplay still having 23 seconds Milan Lucic was given the gate for an unsportsmanlike penalty after he bowled over Tait in neutral ice. 4 on 4 hockey saw Purboo blocker away a shot from Dowd before the Steelers returned to full strength and go on the powerplay. Purboo produced a sprawling save to stop Juusola at the edge of his crease as the Flyers completed the kill. In the 54th minute Purboo went post to post to stop a Jasper wraparound and in the 58th minute Purboo snapped the glove to hold a Mitchel Balmas shot. The Steelers had the final chance as a Jordan Southorn shot from the slot glanced off the top of the crossbar.
Pic Credits – Sheffield Steelers
Fife Flyers are next at home on Sunday 4th January when they entertain the Manchester Storm – tickets can be bought online here: Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.
