Sheffield Steelers enjoy perfect weekend to stretch lead at top of Elite League

Having beaten Fife Flyers on home ice 7-4 the previous evening - a victory that wasn’t guaranteed until a late empty-net strike from Mark Simpson - the Elite League leaders were able to make it two wins from as many visits to Tayside in slightly more comfortable fashion less than 24 hours later.

Their bus journey home will have been made even more enjoyable after news filtered through of Cardiff Devils’ 4-1 defeat at Fife, leaving the Steelers four points clear at the top and having played a game less.

The deadlock in Dundee wasn’t broken until there was just over a minute remaining in the first period when Patrick Watling found a way past Kevin Carr.

The second period was where the Steelers turned the screw though, the visitors showing their clinical side, starting with defenceman Dominic Cormier at 21.12 before further strikes followed from Daniel Ciampini just before the halfway point and captain Robert Dowd, who made it 4-0 at 33.57.

Any hopes the Stars had of mounting a third period comeback were quickly dispelled when Dowd doubled his tally for the night to take his tally to 13 in league and cup for the season.

“I felt the second period was where we just turned the game,” said head coach Fox before embarking on the long bus ride home.

“We were pretty clinical in our scoring, didn’t give up much defensively and when we did Greener (netminder Matt Greenfield) was there. We rolled four lines, all six ‘D’ were playing good defensively and quick in transition.

“This isn’t an easy place to come and play, a long bus trip up here and an early game on a Sunday - but the boys battled hard and deserved that one.”

The Steelers actually raced into an early 2-0 lead the previous evening against the Flyers when Watling’s strike from the top of the left circle with just 121 seconds on the clock was enhanced by Cormier’s deflected effort just under two minutes later,

But Fife showed plenty of fight and were 3-2 ahead by the 25th minute, first-period replies from Anthon Eriksson and Lucas Chiodo being complimented by Vitalijs Pavlovs’ go-ahead strike at 24.27.

But two goals in 61 seconds - the first from Dowd who was quickest to react to a loose puck out in front - at 27.57, the second from Ciampini, again from close range - swung momentum back in favour of the hosts.

But the game wasn’t settled as a contest until the last 10 minutes, the Steelers making it 5-3 through Brett Neumann’s tip-in on the power play at 50.10.

Fife still wouldn’t hand over the points, though, getting themselves back in the game again when Chiodo scored his second of the night at 52.13.

Crucially, the Steelers found another quick reply, this time through Brandon Whistle, who made a 2-and-0 breakaway with Simpson count for a shorthanded strike at 53.46, his linemate making the points safe.