Match Summary
The Sheffield Steelers claimed another valuable two points at the Utilita Arena, edging out the Fife Flyers 2–1. Despite registering 67 total shot attempts to Fife’s 40, Sheffield were made to work for every opening, facing a determined Flyers side.
Sheffield’s lone power-play conversion in four opportunities proved crucial, supplying the opening goal late in the first period. Meanwhile, the Flyers’ single man-advantage chance came up empty against a perfect Steelers penalty kill. With both netminders in standout form, especially Eamon McAdam’s stellar 96.67% save percentage, the contest tightened down the stretch. Sheffield ultimately closed out the game through structure and discipline, helped by winning 41 faceoffs to Fife’s 26 and controlling long stretches of possession.
The opening frame was a tactical standoff, with Fife doing everything possible to choke Sheffield’s pace through the neutral zone and force their attacks wide. The Steelers dictated much of the territorial play, reflected in their eventual 35 shots on goal to Fife’s 30 over the game. but early on were kept to low-danger efforts from the perimeter. Dominic Cormier, the period’s standout skater, repeatedly drove play down the left side, creating some of the Steelers’ clearest openings.
There were moments of threat at both ends. Jack Dougherty intercepted a dangerous loose-puck chance for Josh Winquist, while Cormier fed Jasper and Tremblay on two promising left-wing entries that required sharp saves from Owen. The Flyers’ best opportunity came when Winquist broke free to the crease, but McAdam flashed the left pad to turn him aside, setting up the goaltending battle to come.
The breakthrough arrived after a hooking call on Garet Hunt at 18:02 with the Steelers converting at 19:35 on their only power-play goal in four attempts. Robert Dowd rifled a point shot into traffic, and Stephen Harper, stationed perfectly at the blue paint, angled the puck past Owen for a crucial late lead. A tight, hard-skating period ending 1–0.
The second period saw a significant rise in physical intensity, with both teams exchanging heavy hits and tempers beginning to fray. Within minutes, Harper spurned a golden back-post chance before Ryan Tait forced Owen into another solid blocker save. But Fife struck next at 24:41; a tidy passing sequence from Finoro and Winquist set up Johan Porsberger, who cut inside and roofed his finish past McAdam to level the game.
Sheffield, however, responded just 91 seconds later. In one of the game’s key hustle plays, Dowd chased down what looked like icing, turned the puck over, and set up Sam Tremblay in front. Tremblay slid the puck five-hole for a 2–1 lead.
The remainder of the period grew increasingly heated. Finoro’s late whack at Huttula triggered a multi-player confrontation, and an arguably harsh tripping call on Harper drew frustration from both bench and crowd. Even so, the Steelers’ penalty kill (perfect at 100% on the night) stood firm, limiting Fife to minimal danger. With the Flyers taking another late minor, Sheffield took their 2–1 advantage into the intermission.
Sheffield, leading the shot count and controlling possession, focused on disciplined exits and tight defensive coverage. Fife pushed back, firing 10 shots on McAdam in the frame, but the Steelers’ netminder continued his outstanding night with several key stops, including a highlight diving save with traffic crashing the crease.
Sheffield generated chances to seal the game; Cormier broke in alone, only for Owen to stretch out with another clutch save; Dowd nearly capitalised on a partial break after replacing Pu mid-shift when the latter lost his helmet; and the final minutes saw Tait (twice) and Tansey miss long-range bids at the empty net.
Fife pulled Owen for the extra attacker with around 90 seconds left, used their timeout, and sent heavy traffic to the crease, but the Steelers’ defensive read-and-clear execution held strong. Outshooting Fife on the night and winning the faceoff battle 41–26, Sheffield closed out the final seconds to secure a regulation win without the drama of midweek overtime.
- Steelers: Eamon McAdam — 29 saves, 96.67%
- Flyers: Shane Owen — 33 saves at 94.29%
The Steelers head south to face the Guildford Flames at the Spectrum; a repeat of the dramatic overtime win earlier in the week, before a Saturday trip to arch-rivals Nottingham Panthers. The Steelers then return home next Sunday as the Manchester Storm visit the Utilita Arena.
