Scots on the rocks as Sheffield Steelers shut out Dundee Stars

They shut out Dundee Stars 5-0 on the same night title rivals Cardiff Devils went down 4-1 at Fife Flyers.

It meant Sheffield moved four points clear at the top of the EIHL table, their biggest advantage so far this season.

In some ways, Steelers' win didn't come as a surprise - they have been invincible away from home this year.

But bottom of the league Fife - having been pummelled 7-4 at Sheffield on Saturday night - returned home, licked their wounds and put a big dent in Cardiff's championship chase.

It was quite a tartan tonic for captain Robert Dowd and his men.

Dowd scored two goals and an assist in Dundee, driving his career tally beyond the 700 point mark.

Sheffield controlled most of Sunday's game - comprehensively shutting down Dundee's top line - but particularly the middle period when they banged in three unanswered strikes.

They had taken an earlier lead with just over a minute left of the opening session, Brett Neumann finding Patrick Watling who fired the puck past the under-protected Kevin Carr.

Dominic Cormier was next on the board, before the 1,580 crowd at the Dundee Ice Arena watched Colton Saucerman and Sean Allen fighting, earning each five minutes in the box.

Three minutes later Daniel Ciampini steered the puck past Carr for 3-0 and that was followed by man of the match Dowd's first of the night.

The skipper's second on 42 minutes ended any chance of a Scottish revival.

Stars' coach Marc LeFebvre sportingly acknowledged that Sheffield were currently the "best team in the league" but admitted his own side needed a shake up having lost its winning mentality.

"Right now we have a few guys that are just too comfortable...we are looking at adding some guys to our line up.

"We have to have more internal competition."

Sheffield coach Aaron Fox was more than happy with his squad's performance, particularly the clinical offensive display and overall, four line contribution.

They had won without the ill Scott Allen, whose place had been taken by debutant Zach Vinnell.

And they had the ever-dependable Matt Greenfield in goal, staking his fifth shut out of the season.

*On Saturday, Steelers shared their goals around.

They had seven different marksman in the 7-4 victory over basement side Fife.

Between the second minute and the 58th, Watling, Dominic Cormier, Dowd, Ciampini, Neumann, Brandon Whistle and Mark Simpson got on the scoresheet in a game that the Scots led 3-2 for a short span of the second period at the Arena.