Sheffield Steelers completed a three point weekend with an emphatic eight goal victory over Fife Flyers on Sunday afternoon.
“We came out swinging from the start and didn’t let up the whole way,” said Steelers’ Mitchell Heard. “We needed that one, and it was never in doubt.”
The Steelers opened the scoring just over five minutes into the first period when Stephen Harper fired a snap shot from the hash marks under the blocker of Shane Owen for the home side’s opener. The lead was doubled later in the frame as Brien Diffley finished off some strong work from Ryan Tait along the boards, forcing the puck into the slot and lifting his shot high past Owen.
Early in the second period the Steelers struck again while shorthanded. With captain Robert Dowd serving two minutes for hooking, Mikko Juusola got a decisive tip to extend the lead. Just over a minute later it was four, as Mitchell Balmas was sent clear by Tait and beat Owen on the breakaway with a composed finish.
The fifth goal arrived before the midway point of the game and completed a brace for Harper. Mitchell Heard held the puck behind the Flyers net before finding Harper in the high slot, where he picked out the top corner.
Heard has hit seven points in four games playing on a line with Brett Ritchie and Stephen Harper. “We all grew up in Ontario playing the same game, I think we think about the game in the same way!” he revealed. “Things have been going good for us, we have some chemistry. We are all big, can skate, have heavy shots and are all on the same wavelength.”
Sheffield showed no sign of easing off in the third period. Just over a minute in, Ryan Tait used his speed to get around Jeremy Masella before finishing into an empty net for the sixth of the afternoon. The seventh followed after an excellent shift from young Brit Ivan Bjorkly Nordstrom, who began the play by stealing the puck in his own zone before joining the rush and converting a backdoor pass from Heard.
The scoring was wrapped up with 4:46 remaining as an Evan Jasper shot, possibly tipped by Patrick Watling, found its way past Owen to complete an impressive night for the hosts.
With EIHL match report
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