Fife Flyers to unveil new player after 6-2 loss to Sheffield Steelers

The club are marooned in last place in the Elite League after their losing streak stretched to ten straight league matches with a 6-2 loss to Sheffield Steelers on Sunday.

Just 988 fans turned up for the first game on home ice since the Scottish Government crowd limits were lifted - a figure which must concern directors - and while they saw one of Flyers’ best performances, the team came up short in the long run.

Playing their third game in three nights - a farcical schedule which took them to Wales on Friday and England last night - they made the best possible start, and led 2-0.

They then came under intense pressure from Steelers, and saw the game tied at 2-2 after two periods.

With little left in the tank, Flyers struggled as the game got away from them in the third and Steelers completed a comfortable win.

Jeff Hutchins, assistant coach, handled the post-game media duties and paid tribute to the players’ commitment.

He admitted: ”I'd have been worried had we not got the response from the guys this weekend.

“Results not gone our way but the guys were positive putting the effort in.

“It has been incredibly tough month, an incredibly tough year - huge thanks to fans for getting behind us tonight, We just fell short.”

He held out a glimmer of hoper for fans as he confirmed the imminent arrival of a new player, but whether that means one out remains to be seen. While the club brought in two forwards in December, it has been icing short benched with up to four players out injured on recent match nights.

Flyers have now won just two of their last 16 games, and need to find a win to spark a huge turnaround in the second half of the season to get a place in the top eight.

Jacob Benson had them ahead inside 29 seconds, and Greg Chase made it 2-0 within two minutes, and Flyers continued to rattle Steelers in a good opening period of hockey which gave the fans plenty to shout about.

They did come under intense pressure in the second, but were still very much in this game as Steelers levelled it with goals from Justin Hodgman and Tanner Eberle.

Everything hinged on how they started the third, and when Steelers grabbed the go-ahead goal at 41:44 through Matias Sointu, the game turned.

You could see the title hopefuls turn the screw, and a killer short-handed strike after 49 minutes put the outcome beyond doubt.

Tommi Jokinen was simply outmuscled for the puck in Sheffield's zone by Martin Latal who sent Marc-Olivier Vallerand solo for a clinical net at 49:02. Game over.

Further strikes from Latal and Tommasato Traversa ensured Steelers won with something to spare, and left Fife looking for that elusive win to try to save their season.

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