Sheffield Steelers save their best until last to secure maximum Elite League return over Fife Flyers

Aaron Fox’s team were 2-0 down after less than four minutes in Kirkcaldy but slowly found their way back level with second period strikes from Justin Hodgman and Tanner Eberle.

But it was in the final 20 minutes where the visitors showed why they remain the team to catch at the top of the Elite League regular season standings.

The game-winning goal came from the stick of Mathias Sointu at 41.44, the Steelers then doubling their lead with a shorthanded effort from Marc-Olivier Vallerand at 49.02.

What has been a tough campaign so far for Fife got even worse in the final 10 minutes when Martin Latal and Tommaso Traversa also got on the board to complete a 6-2 win.

It leaves the Steelers two points clear of second-placed Cardiff Devils and with three games in hand, Belfast Giants sitting five points behind the leaders on the same number of games.

Fox’s players were made to work harder on home ice by Fife on Saturday, particularly after Fife made it a one-goal game through Brandon Magee with just under four minutes remaining.

The Steelers were 2-0 up after the first 20 minutes through Vojtěch Polák and Eberle, but were able to eventually able to close the game out when the Czech forward added to his second-minute opener with an empty-net strike with just 10 seconds left on the clock.