Sheffield Steelers 1-2 Fife Flyers

An estimated crowd of around 700 saw the Steelers slump to their third straight loss (fourth loss in their opening five fixtures), and their new forwards cannot arrive soon enough, though BNL Champions Fife can be thankful their net came adrift just as the puck was going in with score at 1-0.

Steelers missing Ryan Lake and Gerad Adams but added Les Millie.

Millie stepped straight onto the first line and almost gave Steelers an early lead but his shot went just the wrong side of the post. Fife gradually started to test the home defence with Karry Biette in particular proving a handful.

With Daryl Andrews serving the first penalty of the game, Mark Morrison popped up at the back post to lift a rebound high into the net (9.51) after Dreu Volk’s shot from the right was redirected by Todd Dutiaume.

Just 16 seconds later Erik Anderson fired home from 8 feet but the ref ruled the goal had come adrift from it’s moorings.

Sheffield went on the powerplay but had only two shots from distance to show. By contrast Flyers looked very dangerous on their second powerplay, Platt performing acrobatics to deny Adrian Saul with the puck flipping on top of the net.

Seconds into the middle period Greg Kuznik’s left wing blast rebounded to Karry Biette and once again it was netted high (20.43). Sheffield upped the pressure and on a delayed penalty call on Kyle Horne, Scott Hay blanked Marc LeFebvre and Paul Sample. Volk took exception to Sample’s jab for the puck and the pair dropped their gloves for double roughing minors.

Hay had not one save to make on the powerplay and for all the huff and puff for the rest of the period, Steelers lacked that incisive edge near goal.

Saul’s holding the stick penalty early in the third was punished after Brent Bobyck skated into the zone and laid the puck back for Andrews to fire home his first competitive goal for the club (41.52).

Sheffield continued to press and 10 minutes later, with Horne back in the box, Shudra hurt Hay with a fierce slapshot into his chest, Then Dwight Parrish clipped the outside of the post.

Both sides used timeouts in the final three minutes, with Steelers lifting Platt for the final 93 seconds to no avail.