Steelers close in on rivals after road trip treble

The triumph came on the back of victories in Fife and Coventry earlier in the weekend and takes the defending regular season champions to within seven points of leaders Belfast Giants with five games in hand.

And with second-placed Nottingham Panthers dropping two points at home in a 4-2 defeat to Cardiff Devils on Saturday, third-placed Steelers are now only four points behind with six games in hand.

Before returning from their long weekend away in Scotland which began with a hard-fought 2-1 win at bottom club Fife Flyers, Finnerty acknowledged his increasingly resilient side had been made to earn their four points the hard way.

“It’s been a great weekend for us,” he said. “We started off really well in Coventry on Friday and have just carried that attitude right through.

“But make no mistake, we came up against two good teams up here and they made it tough for us and you have to give both Edinburgh and Fife a lot of credit because they both had chances to win against us.

“I think our third period in Edinburgh was the best we played in all three matches. I was pleased with the way our defensive group responded to the criticism they have had and we controlled our own end better by doing the simple things right.”

The ever-improving Lee Esders was first to find the net in Murrayfield, putting the Steelers ahead at 12.44 to show for their efforts.

It wasn’t until the 38th minute that the next goal allowed and this time it came the way of the home team with league top scorer Rene Jarolin tying the game.

The Slovakian stunned the visitors at 44.18 when he put Edinburgh ahead, although the Steelers hit back in spectacular style, taking control of the game with three goals in less than two minutes.

Captain Jonathan Phillips was first to strike, following up his goal in Coventry on Friday night with a powerplay marker at 46.57. Defenceman Steve Birnstill then gave Steelers the lead at 48.24 before Colt King made it 4-2 at 48.43 to leave the home side stunned.

Marcis Zembergs did pull a goal back but, with only 13 seconds remaining, it proved meaningless, leaving the home side with only one win in nine, while extending the Steelers’ win streak to four.

On Saturday in Fife, a 21st goal of the season from Jeff Legue at 5.32 was all that separated the teams at the end of the first period and it wasn’t until the 38th minute that the Canadian centre added to his team’s tally, doubling the lead on the powerplay.

The Flyers had gone into the weekend rocked by the departures of three key players in recent days. Import forwards Matt Siddall and Mike Hamilton left to take up deals in Italy and North America respectively. British forward Iain Bowie then exited on Friday ahead of a return to Edinburgh which saw him face the Steelers on Sunday.

But Todd Dutiaume’s side got just rewards for their efforts at 56.30, with Steve Gunn’s sixth goal of the season ensuring a nervous final few minutes for the Steelers, but Fife couldn’t find a way past netminder John Decaro again.

RESULTS

Sunday: Cardiff Devils 1 Nottingham Panthers 4, Dundee Stars 0 Coventry Blaze 3, Edinburgh Capitals 3 Sheffield Steelers 4, Hull Stingrays 4 Braehead Clan 7.

Saturday: Belfast Giants 6 Dundee Stars 2, Braehead Clan 3 Hull Stingrays 1, Fife Flyers 1 Sheffield Steelers 2, Nottingham Panthers 2 Cardiff Devils 4.

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Twitter: @philarra