Sheffield Steelers top of Elite League with command performances against Cardiff Devils and Fife Flyers

WAY TO GO: Brandon McNally celebrates scoring sixth and final goal in the 6-0 win over Elite League rivals Fife Flyers. Picture courtesy of Dean Woolley/EIHL.

Particularly when you take into account they got there the hard way, triumphing 5-2 at the home of Cardiff Devils on Saturday night, inflicting the hosts’ only league defeat so far this term.

It was payback for an opening night 3-1 loss on home ice to Brodie Duponte’s team, since when the Steelers have lost just once in eight games - that being an overtime defeat at home to Guildford Flames, who they now sit above at the top, on the same points but having more regulation wins to their name.

Throw into the mix a comprehensive 6-0 win 24 hours later at Sheffield Arena and it all added up to a fine weekend’s work for Aaron Fox and his team.

The pleasing thing for Fox from Sunday will have been seeing the goals spread around, Adam Raška getting the ball rolling at 11.09 before Danny Kristo doubled the lead 80 seconds before the first intermission.

The Flyers steadied the ship in the second and held the Steelers at bay but three goals from the host in just over four minutes settled the encounter.

Brandon Whistle made it 3-0 at 47.15 before two shorthanded goals followed, the first from Daniel Campini before Scott Allen at 51.35. Brandon McNally wrapped up the scoring at 56.02.

It all made for a satisfying evening, something the Steelers enjoyed the previous night in South Wales.

PARTY TIME: Sheffield Steelers celebrate Brandon Whistle's strike against Fife Flyers. Picture: Dean Woolley/Steelers Media.

After a goalless opening period, Jake Coughler put the Devils ahead at 22.49 with a close-range tap-in after the Devils had a flurry of shots on Matt Greenfield.

The Steelers were level just after the halfway mark through Ciampini and went ahead when Brett Neumann converted a penalty shot at 33.47.

A perfect start to the third period effectively settled the game, Ciampini doubling his tally for the night on the powerplay at 42.48 before Niklas Nevalainen's shot was deflected past Ben Bowns by Raška to make it 4-1 50 seconds later.

With just over six minutes remaining, Cardiff gave themselves an outside hope of a comeback through a second for Coughler, but Martin Látal ended any hope of that with an empty-netter with 88 seconds left on the clock.