Steelers celebrate with two wins over the Flyers

SHEFFIELD, U.K. – The Sheffield Steelers secured another four-point weekend over Scottish outfit the Fife Flyers, taking their winning streak to ten straight games.
The gulf between Sheffield (2^nd in league) and Fife (10^th in league) wasn’t as wide as the standings suggest, especially after Sunday’s game had to be settled in overtime.

Sheffield first played host to the Flyers on Saturday (17^th December) at the Motorpoint Arena. The game saw a scoreless first period, in which Sheffield dominated on the shot count 14-4 but couldn’t find a way past 22-year-old netminder Garrett Zemlak, who is already turning heads throughout the league with his fine performances between the pipes.
The only real talking point of the first period was a fight after just 14 seconds between the Steelers’ Neil Clark and Matt Siddall of the Flyers. Clark took the honours in a short but spirited bout, keen to make a name for himself after sitting out the last three games as the spare import.
Steelers Player/Coach Ryan Finnerty’s in between period talk seemed to have worked wonders when his team came out firing in the second period. They took a two goal lead in the first minute, firstly thanks to Mike Ramsay, and then Luke Fulghum to make it 2-0 to the hosts.
The Steelers pressed and soon found themselves 3-0 up thanks to Mike Ramsay with his second of the night on the powerplay at 33:07 after a neat pass from Fulghum.
No further scoring followed in the second stanza, one that Sheffield dominated once again.
The third period started with a rejuvenated Fife having their best sustained spell of pressure of the game, only to be denied by John DeCaro in the Steelers goal.
Sheffield’s next goal came against the run of play with new defenceman Francis Trudel firing home a well-taken goal at 47:23, after a great pass from Steelers fan favourite Jeff Legue to make it 4-0.
The Flyers weren’t willing to go down without putting up a fight, and they clawed their way back into the game at 51:40 thanks to rotund defenceman Chris Wands firing a soft shot past DeCaro which looped over his glove to make it 4-1.
Fife were given a glimmer of hope at 53:58 when Latvian winger Toms Hartmanis netted the visitors second goal of the night.
It was then the turn of Fife’s top scorer Mike Hamilton to get himself on the scoresheet at 55:48 to make it 4-3 ensuring a nervy final five minutes of the game.
Both teams pressed looking for the all-important next goal, with both teams exchanging efforts.
With just seven seconds remaining Steeler’s Colt King, more known for his pugilistic skills than his scoring prowess sent the Steelers fans into raptures as he netted a tipped in shot from the point to make it 5-3 to his team and to claim the all important two points.
Sheffield then travelled north of the border to face the Fife Flyers just 24 hours later, in a game that they got more than they bargained for, going down 4-1 to the Flyers in the second period, but then coming back to win the game in overtime 6-5.
Once again in typical Steelers-Flyers fashion the first period remained scoreless with Fife out shooting the visitors 8-5.
Flyers top goal scorer Matt Siddall got his team of to the perfect start when he netted two minutes into the second period on the powerplay to make it 1-0 to the hosts.
Flyers Player/Coach Todd Dutiaume netted his teams second of the night at 26:22 after a nice pass from Toms Hartmanis to pave the way for the gaol to make it 2-0.
The Steelers pressed looking to get back into the game, but were shell-shocked when Toms Hartmanis netted the Flyers third goal of the game at 34:50, compiling further misery to the visitors and travelling fans.
The Steelers battled back and grabbed a goal thanks to Player/Coach Ryan Finnerty, after some good work from linemate Luke Fulghum who then found Finnerty free in front of goal who made no mistake in putting the puck away.
The second period was all but done when Flyers forward Matt Siddall netted his second of the game at 39:43 to make it 4-1 to his side.
The Steelers must have gotten a rude awakening in between periods as they came out like a team possessed in the third period.
Former Coventry Blaze forward Luke Fulghum pulled a goal back for the visitors at 44:32 after some good work from silky smooth defenceman Steve Birnstill paving the way for the goal to make it 4-2.
The Steelers celebrations were subdued as Toms Hartmanis netted his second goal of the game just three seconds later to make it 5-2 to the hosts.
Flyers defenceman Kyle Horne was assessed a minor penalty for hooking at 44:47 gifting the Steelers a powerplay.
Sheffield returned the favour and showed their gratitude when Steven Birnstill fired home a shot from the point just three seconds into the powerplay to make it 5-3.
Luke Fulghum endeared himself further to the Sheffield fans when he netted his second goal of the game on the powerplay at 47:25 to bring the game to within a goal.
Steelers pressed and plied Fife netminder Garrett Zemlak with a barrage of fifteen shots in the third period, and it was the 12^th shot what was to prove decisive, coming from Steelers fan favourite Jeff Legue at 57:04 ensuring the game would go to overtime.
Referee Moray Hanson dropped the puck to signify the start of overtime at the Fife Ice Arena, when an unlikely yet familiar source was to provide the game winner.
With only his third goal of the season (two of them being overtime winners) Mancunian Mark Thomas stepped up and rifled home a rocket to seal the win in overtime, becoming a trademark of his, and claimed the two points for his side.
Steelers Player/Coach Ryan Finnerty shared his thoughts on the game, “I thought we were doing OK after the first period. The score was 0-0 and we got rid of the bus legs and were playing well enough. Then in the second period we self destructed, we fell apart and were all over the place. We called a time out and tried to right some wrongs but despite pulling a goal back we still ended up back in the dressing room 4-1 down,” Finnerty said. “I think this was an important moment for us. We said in the room that this was one important moment, to see how we would react, to see what we were made of. Then we come out and go 5-1 down. This team doesn’t quit though and pretty soon we were back in it and on a roll. We played well then and took over, when we scored to make it 5-5 I won’t lie, I was relieved,” Finnerty admitted.
Finnerty was asked for his thoughts on the overtime maestro Mark Thomas, “What can you say about Tomo. Character player in a character moment. This team is finding a way right now and I couldn’t be prouder. I think we may look back at this win and say that this could have been our biggest win of the year. Not so much in terms of the result but in terms of how we dug in and never gave up. This team has character that’s for sure,” Finnerty concluded.
The Steelers next face the Cardiff Devils (Friday 23^rd December) in a crucial Challenge Cup game in Wales, before returning to Sheffield on Boxing Day to battle it out with the Nottingham Panthers, then playing the Panthers the following day in Nottingham.
Contact the author at Scott.antcliffe@prohockeynews.com