Steelers are stretched by Fife but manage to secure double triumph

SHEFFIELD Steelers moved into second place in the Elite League - but only after being given two big scares by bottom club Fife Flyers.

Ryan Finnerty’s team are now eight games unbeaten, their latest two wins combining with a shoot-out defeat to Coventry Blaze for rivals Nottingham Panthers to see them edge ahead of their closest rivals and in behind leaders Belfast Giants.

But it was far from as easy as some were expecting in their double-header against rock-bottom Fife, who proved more than an adequate match for their more illustrious opponents over two competitive nights and will feel aggrieved at only landing the one point.

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Firstly, the Steelers relied on a late empty-net goal to see off their Scottish visitors 5-3 on Saturday before somehow finding a way back from 5-1 down with under 17 minutes remaining on their first visit to Kirkcaldy to eventually snatch the second meeting 6-5 in overtime.

After a goalless first period in Fife, the hosts stunned the defending champions by taking a 4-1 lead into the third, Finnerty’s 37th-minute strike being the only reply to goals from Matt Siddall (2), Todd Dutiaume and Todd Hartmanis.

It got worse for the South Yorkshire club when Hartmanis’s second of the night early in the third left them with seemingly no way back.

But, after goaltender John Decaro was replaced by reserve Geoff Woolhouse, the Steelers were back in the game thanks to scoring two goals 18 seconds apart.

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Luke Fulghum was first to strike at 44.32, before Steve Birnstill made it 5-3. Former Coventry marksman Fulghum was on hand again at 47.25 to make it a one-goal game, but the equaliser was another 10 minutes coming, Jeff Legue popping up at 57.04 with the goal which beckoned overtime.

And it was defenceman Mark Thomas once again who proved the hero in the additional period, bringing back memories of last month’s overtime winner against Nottingham month with the game-winning strike just 31 seconds in to snatch the extra point on offer.

The result takes Steelers to within five points of Belfast with five games still in hand.

A relieved Finnerty said afterwards: “This team is finding a way to win right now and I couldn’t be prouder.

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“I think we may look back at this win and say that this could have been our biggest win of the year. Not so much in terms of the result, but in terms of how we dug in and never gave up.

“I give Fife a ton of respect, for six periods plus they never gave in. They played hard for their coach and their fans. They will be gutted having had us 5-1. I would be if I was them. We respected them the whole weekend and rightly so.”

On Saturday, Steelers cruised into 4-0 lead by the middle of the third period through goals from Mike Ramsay (2), Fulghum and Francis Trudel. But the home side were made to sweat when Fife stormed back to within one goal through strikes from Chris Wands, Hartmanis and Mike Hamilton.

The points weren’t secured until Colt King added an empty-net strike with seven seconds left.

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WHILE the Steelers have been busying themselves ready for a push towards a second successive Elite League title, there has also been a lot of activity off the ice with the players and staff becoming ‘rock stars’ for the day in a new, tongue-in-cheek promotional video.

Over the past two months the club has been filming a remake of the famous Nickelback video ‘Rockstar’.

With the help of players, staff, sponsors and a few special guests - including Sheffield Star sports editor Bob Westerdale - the Steelers have launched their version online and hope their fans will now spread the word and make the video as famous as the original.

Head coach Ryan Finnerty said: “When the idea was put to the guys we were a little nervous, you never know how these things will come out. However, the result is brilliant and everyone of us is delighted to have played a small part.”

To watch the video go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdoVgfZzIOk&feature=youtu.be&hd=1