Game Summary
The Sheffield Steelers extended their winning streak to seven games after a hard-fought 2–1 overtime victory over the Fife Flyers at the Fife Ice Arena. Coming off the back of a confident 4–1 win against the Belfast Giants less than 24 hours earlier, the Steelers faced the challenge of a long trip north.
Despite Fife’s difficult start to the 2025/26 campaign, entering the contest without a single league point, the Flyers proved stubborn opposition throughout, pushing the Steelers all the way to sudden death overtime.
Eamon McAdam, replacing Matthew Greenfield between the pipes, turned aside 26 of 27 shots faced for a 96.3% save percentage in a composed and commanding display. Goals from Evan Jasper and overtime hero Mitchell Balmas sealed the points after the Flyers had taken a second-period lead through Vlastimil Dostalek.
It wasn’t a classic performance from the Steelers, but it ensures the Sheffield remain at the top of the Elite League standings heading into next weekend’s home clash with the Cardiff Devils.
First Period [0–0]
The opening frame in Kirkcaldy was a tight and tense affair as both teams looked to find their rhythm early. Dominic Cormier was the first to test Shane Owen just 15 seconds in, firing from a tight angle on the left wing. The Flyers responded quickly with some forechecking pressure of their own, but neither side managed to establish sustained offensive momentum in the early exchanges.
Defenceman Kevin Tansey had perhaps the best early look for Sheffield at 4:07, finding space in the slot but dragging his effort wide. At the other end, Garet Hunt caused a few problems in front of McAdam’s crease, forcing a sharp low pad save as the Flyers searched for a scrappy opener.
The Steelers’ first real opportunity to take control came midway through the period when Robert Dowd was tripped on a breakaway, sending the visitors to the powerplay. Despite some promising puck movement and a near-miss from Stephen Harper at the near post, Owen and the Flyers’ penalty kill stood tall.
A second man advantage followed late in the frame after Didrik Svendsen was shown to the box, but again Sheffield were unable to convert. The period ended scoreless, with both goaltenders sharp and the Steelers narrowly edging the shot count 9–8.
Second Period [1–1]
The middle frame provided a complete contrast to the first, bursting into life with physicality, emotion, and no shortage of drama. McAdam was tested early by a couple of awkward deflections from the blue line but showed calm hands to keep the puck out. At the other end, the Steelers pressed hard with Gentile’s close-range tip and Tait’s slot effort both denied by Owen.
However, at 25:08 the home crowd finally had something to cheer. Ethan Hadden found Vlastimil Dostalek in front with traffic, and the Flyers forward spun sharply before firing low past McAdam to make it 1–0. It was a deserved opener for the hosts, who grew in confidence after taking the lead.
Tensions began to rise shortly after, with Robert Dowd and Jeremy Masella exchanging words at the faceoff before a full-scale scuffle erupted minutes later. Tremblay leapt to his teammate’s defence after Masella felled Jasper, leading to multiple penalties including fighting majors for Diffley and Jameson and roughing calls for several others.
Once the dust settled, Sheffield regrouped and found their breakthrough. After killing a Flyers powerplay and absorbing another surge of pressure, Kevin Tansey’s patient play at the blue line set up Evan Jasper, who picked his spot perfectly, ripping a wrist shot top corner on Owen at 36:11 to tie the game 1–1. It was a moment of quality amid the chaos and gave the Steelers a crucial foothold heading into the final period.
Third Period & Overtime [1–2]
The third period was a tense chess match between two determined sides. Fife came close to reclaiming their lead early on as Josh Winquist raced down the left wing, but McAdam was equal to his low drive, deflecting it just wide of the post.
The Steelers then began to turn the screw, led by the defensive pairing of Tansey and Cormier, who continued to generate offence from the blue line. A rebound chance for Balmas went begging after a Tansey shot deflected awkwardly in front, before Dowd struck the outside of the post minutes later.
Both netminders were in fine form as the game moved into its final stages. McAdam stood tall on a jam play at the short side to deny Hunt, while Owen made back-to-back saves to stop Tait and Heard as Sheffield surged forward in search of a winner.
A frantic final two minutes saw end-to-end chaos; the Flyers breaking two-on-one and a goalmouth scramble leaving bodies strewn across McAdam’s crease. Somehow, the puck stayed out, and the Steelers survived the scare to force overtime.
With the game finely poised, Sheffield wasted little time in sudden death. Head Coach Aaron Fox rolled out a trio of Heard, Harper, and Cormier to start, setting an attacking tone. Just over a minute in, the decisive moment arrived.
Mitchell Balmas, who had been threatening all night, picked up possession and cut inside before snapping a precision shot high over Owen’s blocker; a clinical finish that secured the Steelers’ seventh straight victory.
Man of the Match:
Evan Jasper for the Steelers after another strong two-way performance, capped with a crucial game-tying goal and relentless energy in both zones.
Next Up:
The Steelers enjoy a rare Saturday night off next weekend before returning to action at the Utilita Arena Sheffield on Sunday, where they will host the Cardiff Devils in Elite League competition. With momentum firmly on their side and seven straight wins in the bag, the Steelers will look to keep the streak alive in front of a home crowd.
📸 Fife Flyers / Jillian McFarlane