EIHL week one

 Scotland hosted the first and only game on Saturday 3^rd September when Fife Flyers got off to the best possible start in their Challenge Cup campaign as they stunned Belfast Giants with a 5-2 win in Kirkcaldy.

Stephen Gunn scored the first goal of the season for Todd Dutiaume’s men with an unassisted effort before Sebastien Thinel did the same soon after.

David Turon added a third before the end of the first period to give Flyers a three-goal cushion in an impressive display.

Giants hit back through David Rutherford, but Justin Fox restored the three-goal lead, only for Rutherford to reduce the deficit again.

Chase Schaber made sure of the two points with a goal nearly seven minutes from the end to give the home fans cause for celebration.

The next day saw three games.

We stay in Scotland for the first one as an overtime goal from Fife Flyers Carlo Finnuci ensured they completed a four point weekend with a 4-3 win in Braehead.

After beating Belfast on Saturday night, Fife found themselves behind early on as Craig Peacock, formerly of Belfast Giants, scored his first Clan goal.

Flyers Shayne Stockton levelled before the teams traded goals again through Scott Pitt short handed and then Sebastian Thinel before the end of the period.

Ryan Dingle made it 3-2 Fife in the third, but Matt Beca scored for Braehead to cue the Elite League’s first ever 3-on-3 overtime period.

New signing Finnuci, who has stepped up a league after spending last season in the EPL, ended the game two minutes into the extra period with a goal which sealed victory for the visitors.

Final score Braehead Clan 3 Fife Flyers 4

For the remaining two games we go South into England.

In  Coventry the Blaze found themselves up against Challenge Cup champions Nottingham Panthers. But they began their season with an impressive 3-1 victory at the Sky Dome arena. First period goals from Bjorn Bombis and Jim Jorgenson put Blaze in control as they skated to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.

The middle period was scoreless, but Josh Godfrey made it 3-0 Coventry, before Panthers newly appointed captain Brad Moran got their sole marker.

There was no further scoring as Panthers netminder Jindrich Pacl was beaten on his Elite League debut and Danny Stewart took victory in his first game in charge of the Blaze.

Final Score Coventry Blaze 3 Nottingham Panthers 1

In Sheffield the defending league champions were up against Manchester Storm. An unassisted goal from Levi Nelson with under four minutes to play gave the Sheffield Steelers a narrow victory over the Manchester Storm in a thrilling Challenge Cup match at the Sheffield Arena.

Manchester jumped out to a two goal first period lead thanks to Cody Cartier and Mark Heatley, with the Steelers sole response coming from Mathieu Roy

Roy scored his second of the game in the in the middle session with Tyler Mosienko scoring two more to put Sheffield in control. But Omar Pacha’s Storm side fought back to level the game at four all with Mario Trabucco and Matt Bissonnette both registering goals.

Nelson made it 5-4 Steelers, with Tyler Mosienko completing his hat-trick forcing the puck into an empty net as Sheffield secured a hard fought victory in what was a thoroughly entertaining game.

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