Fife Flyers claw back four-goal deficit but can’t claim third straight Sheffield scalp

They ran out of steam in the third, going down to a 6-3 defeat.

The bulk of the damage came in an opening period which saw Steelers net four times without reply, but Tim Wallace’s team roared back in the second with three goals in less than five minutes to make their hosts really work for the points.

Flyers headed south minus four players, all out with lower body injuries - forwards Mason Alderson, and Michael Drabek, defenceman Joona Vainio and netminder, Dominik Groh.

Steelers went ahead with a goal from Aatu Aarnio after Tim Gettinger won possession and combined with Olivier Archambault through the neutral zone. Their passing move created space for Aarnio to break forward and finish.

Sheffield doubled their advantage when Adam Rockwood helped create an opportunity for Ryan Tait, who fired past netminder Blake Pietilä. Flyers challenged the goal for offside, but the decision was upheld following a video review.

Logan Roe added a third for Sheffield with a powerplay finish via the post, and they struck again through Evan Jasper to wrap a huge opening period.

Up against it, Flyers turned the tables on their hosts with three unanswered goals in the second period.

Zack Power opened their account when he fired past Matt Greenfield on the glove side. Mika Partanen then converted on a five-on-three powerplay, beating Greenfield with a wrist shot from the high slot - and Cameron Hough added a third shortly afterwards.

Neither side could add to the score during the remainder of the middle period, leaving the game finely balanced heading into the third.

The opening stages of the final period also remained scoreless before Sheffield restored their two-goal advantage through Jasper’s second of the night.

With under three minutes remaining, Archambault fired past a screened Pietilä to complete the scoring.