Flyers soar to deepen Steelers misery

Welcome to our match report from Sunday's game at the House Of Steel against the Fife Flyers.

After slipping to yet another loss in the league, Steelers were looking to bounce back against this season's surprise packet as they hosted Todd Dutiaume's Fife Flyers. The team was unchanged from the side that lost 4-1 in Cardiff the night before but added both Cole Shudra and Liam Kirk to the line-up after international duty with GB. Fife were at full strength themselves which meant returns to the House Of Steel for former Steelers defencemen Jim Jorgensen and Russ Moyer. 

Both teams started the game well, forcing the respective netminders into a series of saves with Andy Iles already giving the majority of the 4148 spectators a good look at why he has been such a great pick up for the Flyers this campaign so far. However the deadlock was broken just before the 12 minute mark, Zack Fitzgerald with the feed and "The King of Sheffield" with the finish for was only his 9th goal of another stop-start season. It was also the cue for loads of bears, teddies etc. to hit the Arena ice as Steelers did their annual Teddy Toss in aid of local youngsters and local radio station Hallam FM's Mission Christmas/Cash For Kids appeal. However, that proved to be the sole goal of the opening period as Iles shut the door on a number of efforts following the goal.

Steelers had a great chance to double their lead in the opening stages of the second as Birzins and Bloodoff were assessed minors within 48 seconds of each other. Unfortunately and probably infuriatingly for the home support, Steelers failed to capitalise and so it remained a nervous one goal lead. With Iles having probably one of the games of his life at one end of the ice, you just knew something would happen at the other.

Yet in the final stages of the second period, it did. Steelers ran into penalty trouble as John Armstrong and Andreas Jämtin picked up minors within 46 seconds of each other. Eleven seconds of the 5 on 3 had elapsed when the Flyers powerplay profited and Shayne Stockton, scorer of a goal against the Steelers earlier this in Kirkcaldy, lit the red light. Defending a 5 on 4 now, could the Steelers stand firm and possibly leave it all to play for in the final twenty? The answer was no as Chase Schaber managed to get the all-important touch after a scramble; two powerplay goals in 1 minute 20 seconds!

The home side had to push now to avoid the ignominy of a zero point weekend, but Andy Iles was determined to protect his side's lead as Paul Thompson's men searched for that equaliser. Time and time again Iles denied the Steelers and once more proved to be a thorn in the home ranks. So it came down to the sacrifice of Ervins Mustukovs and Steelers with an extra attacker on the ice. Would they repeat what the Flyers had done to them in Kirkcaldy? Unfortunately not as with 52 seconds left, Flyers gained possession and skated up ice for Ian Young to add the icing on the proverbial cake. A chorus of displeasure greeted it, mainly in the direction of the coaching combo and that was that. The worse case scenario had rung true and Steelers slipped to the rarity; with teams around them also winning - the heat is certainly now on.

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Steelers 1 Flyers 3 

Steelers Scoring: Roy 1+0, Fitzgerald 0+1.

Flyers Scoring: Schaber 1+1, Gauthier 0+2, Mosey 1+0, Stockton 1+0, Birziņš 0+1.

Shots On Goal:  Steelers 44 Flyers 31

Powerplay: Steelers 0 from 5 (0% conversion), Flyers 2 from 7 (29% conversion)

Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 14 Flyers 10

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 28 Saves (651), GAA: 2.01 (2.39), Save Percentage 93.30% (91.40%)

Man of the Match: Miika Franssila (Steelers), Andy Iles (Flyers)

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