Sheffield usurped by Devils

Ice hockey

STEVE PINDER

Sheffield Steelers await the result of a goals countback among all the European Cup competitions which took place over the weekend to see if their two wns and one defeat in the Netherlands are enough to take them through to the next round.

Meanwhile, Cardiff Devils took the opportunity to head the embryonic Premier Division with wins against Slough Jets and Milton Keynes Kings, 10-2 and 13-1 respectively.

The surprise was the defeat of Milton Keynes, who had held Steelers to a draw the previous week and have given the Devils a run for their money in the past. The Kings held Cardiff to just 10 in the first period but then fell apart, Steve Moria leading the way with five goals to add to his opener.

At the bottom of the table with the Kings and the Jets are Fife Flyers, who had an excellent Benson and Hedges Cup but a miserable league opening. It was no surprise that they lost 9-5 to Durham Wasps, who are on a roll at the moment, but against Humberside Hawks, they led 5-2 at the end of the first period. However, they might as well have got on the homebound coach after that. Hawks' line of Todd Bidner, Derek Laxdal and Graham Garden took control, totalling eight of the eventual 13 goals in the turnover.

Results, Sporting Digest, page 27