SHEFFIELD STEELERS kept up their end of the bargain to ensure next weekend’s double-header against Elite League leaders Belfast Giants has plenty riding on it.

It may not have been easy on Saturday, but the Steelers got the job done when they edged out Coventry Blaze 4-3 after a penalty shoot-out.

Sunday saw them head north of the border to bottom club Fife Flyers and, after a tight first period, they ran out worthy winners.

Unfortunately, Cardiff Devils couldn’t repeat their Saturday night win at Belfast Giants when the two teams met again 24 hours later but the Steelers emerged from the weekend in a slightly better position than they were in going into it.

Six points now separate second-placed Steelers from Belfast with the preferred outcome of next weekend being two clean regulation wins for head coach Aaron Fox’s team.

“We know how important every point is right now and it was a four-point weekend for us,” said Fox. “We get two Belfast games next weekend and we’re six points back, so there’s an opportunity for us to close that gap if we can play well.”

After Keaton Jameson had failed to convert on a penalty shot for the Flyers - the hosts going into the game on a high after their 4-3 win at Guildford the night before - the Steelers quickly took the lead at 8.40 when Brett Ritchie beat Shane Owen from close range following good work behind the net by Stephen Harper.

Andrew McLean levelled for the hosts just under six minutes later which is how it stayed until the second period when the Steelers took control.

GOOD START: Brett Ritchie scored Sheffield Steelers' first two goals in the 7-1 win at Fife Flyers on Sunday. Picture: Jillian McFarlane/EIHL Media.

placeholder image — GOOD START: Brett Ritchie scored Sheffield Steelers' first two goals in the 7-1 win at Fife Flyers on Sunday. Picture: Jillian McFarlane/EIHL Media.

Ritchie doubled his tally on the power play at 23.55, the lead doubling when Mitchell Heard struck just 21 seconds later. Sam Tremblay made it 4-1 at 33.43 and after Ryan Tait struck just 51 seconds into the third period it was game over.

Defenceman Reece Kelly grabbed his second goal of the season at 44.09 before leading scorer Mitchell Balmas completed the evening with just under three minutes left.

Fox added: “We started moving our feet and playing our way in the second and third. They are playing light right now, with three lines and I felt like our depth - we played four lines all night - just kind of took over that hockey game.”