It was the final meeting of the two sides with the visiting Steelers still in the hunt for league honours. The Flyers having made the long trip back from Surrey were without the injured Johan Porsberger again and he was joined on the sidelines by Mason Alderson who picked up a knock against the Flames. Shane Owen made his 11th consecutive start in net. The Steelers started Matt Greenfield in net and scratched Brien Diffley and Eamon McAdam.
The Steelers had all of the early pressure in the opening couple of minutes as they kept the puck in the Flyers zone with their cycle although were unable to create any clear cut chances. The Flyers first chance came in the 4th minute when Josh Winquist played the puck from behind the visitors net to Logan Neilson in the slot and Greenfield was lights out to stop his one timer. A minute later and Greenfield was in action again as he swallowed a shot from the top of the circles from Jeremy Masella. The Flyers goal lead a charmed life in the 7th minute as a giveaway in front of goal gave the Steelers three or four chances to bury the puck but Owen performed heroics along with a number of the Flyers who blocked shots with the net gaping. In the 8th minute Owen made a save in Mitchell Heard and the Flyers then transitioned with Garet Hunt laying the puck into the path of Ryan Nicholson who saw his shot well held by Greenfield. The Flyers had a chance to opening the scoring at 08:18 as Keaton Jameson with speed burst through the Steelers defence and was impeded as he went to the net with the referee awarding a penalty shot. Jameson took the award and he tried to deke Greenfield who stayed with him to block the puck. That reprieve was punished by the visitors as they took the lead at 08:40 as Brett Ritchie was able to find a way to get the puck beyond Owen and into the net. In the 10th minute Owen gloves a shot by Ivan Bjorkly Nordstrom and moments later the Flyers went close as a slap pass by Andrew McLean was tipped by Jameson in the slot but Greenfield was alert and held the puck. Steelers went the other way and Mikko Juusola worked his way through several Flyers players but Owen was able to deal with his backhand effort. Owen made a solid stop on a big one timer by Kevin Tansey in the 13th minute and he was able to cover up the puck with Samuel Tremblay at the edge of his crease. In the 14th minute Winquist and Neilson combined once again but Greenfield was able to stop the latter’s tip on net. The Flyers were on level terms at 14:11 as Neilson and Winquist set McLean away down the left side of the rink and as he took the puck to the net he went top shelf to pop the water bottle on the stick side of the Steelers goalie. Heard almost sneaked the puck in in the 15th minute as it slid just wide of the post. The Flyers then hit metal work for the first of many times in the game when Ian Scheid passed to the right wing to Neilson and his shot clunked the far post. In the 18th a give and go between Hunt and Ethan Somoza saw the latter force a sprawling save from Greenfield. Owen made the final save of the period as he got a pad to a shot by Jordon Southorn.
In the 21st minute a hard shot by Ryan Tait was bobbled by Owen who collected it at the second attempt. Simon Despres and Owen both combined to thwart a back door play in the 23rd by Ritchie and a minute later Tremblay with a backhand effort was denied by the Flyers goalie. The Steelers went on the first and what turned out to be the only powerplay of the game when Jonas Emmerdahl was called for holding the stick. The Steelers quickly capitalised as a shot by Ritchie from the circles managed to sneak through Owen at 23:55. The visitors got another 21 seconds later with similar goal as the puck was worked around the zone and Heard from the face off dot saw his shot roll under the pads of Owen and into the net. Owen fought off a heavy shot by Stephen Harper in the 26th minute as the visitors were well on top at this stage. Another set up in the 27th minute by Scheid to Neilson saw the post once again come to the rescue for Greenfield and moments later the Steelers goalie was able to get just enough on a Jameson shot to deflect the puck over the bar. Emmerdahl at the edge of the crease was denied by Greenfield in the 31st minute and once more Neilson was out of luck as he struck iron again in the 33rd minute at the end of a sweeping Flyers move. The visitors stretched their lead at 33:43 when a point shot was deflected home by Tremblay. The Flyers had the final two chances in the period as Greenfield made stops on Despres and Somoza.
The Flyers lost captain Hunt near the end of the second period and although he returned for the third he would not log any ice time. The Flyers had a chance inside the opening seconds as Greenfield had to be very sharp to deny Jameson but the Steelers struck again in the opening minute as a shot from Tait found a hole through Owen at 40:51. The bounces were certainly not going the way of the Flyers as they conceded another at 44:09 when a Reece Kelly shot from the point was saved by the blocker of Owen but bounced off Nicholson and into the net. The Flyers made a goalie change at this point with Christian Purboo introduced to the action. Justin Ducharme from a sharp angle in the 54th minute kept Greenfield honest in his net and Owen followed this with a fine save to deny Patrick Watling who tried to score on the short side. Somoza had a close in tip well saved by Greenfield but the final word on the scoreboard went to the Steelers as Balmas was able to beat Purboo.
Pic Credits – Jillian McFarlane and Derek Young
Flyers are next at home on Sunday 15th March 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.
