Sheffield Steelers 4 Dundee Stars 2: Steelers given a fright but hold on to keep winning run going

At 3-0 up they'd appeared to be coasting.

But with eight minutes left they were just a single goal ahead against a workaholic Stars team that showed guts and energy.

Steelers had been handed a 6-2 beating in the Challenge Cup at Manchester Storm on Friday and were keen to get back on track in this League fixture.

Goalie Pavel Kantor, who had a difficult time at Storm, was replaced by Tomas Duba.

The desire to regain momentum was mirrored by a high-energy first 20 minutes which saw three Sheffield goals, a new entry to the record books, and a spot of controversy.

The men of orange demonstrated offensive urgency from the off and Marco Vallerand exhibited his clinical finishing on the game's first power play at 11:47.

Exactly one minute later Robert Dowd made a scoring contact with a high puck - too high to be legal according to the Scots who protested the goal all the way to a video review...which went in the home team's favour.

Dundee had been beaten 2-1 at home by Coventry Blaze the night before, their third consecutive defeat, and had twice been on the wrong end of scorelines with Sheffield this season.

That might have explained Omar Pacha's vocal displeasure on the bench.

Dowd wasn't bothered - he'd overtaken Ken Priestlay as the club's fourth all-time highest points scorer.

Tanner Eberle's pace saw him get to the puck before Alex Leclerc's outstretched leg - the number 10 sweeping around him for 3-0 at 13:58.

Whether the burning injustice felt by Dundee over the Dowd goal had imbued them with more spirit it is difficult to say, but they were more assertive after the first interval.

They outworked Sheffield's second line and reduced their deficit through Brett Stovin, assisted by Jagger Dirk, Justin Maylan.

Sheffield were frustrated offensively, Leclerc holding on to heavy shots from Vallerand and O'Connor.

Their performance levels had dipped - and Sheffield knew they had to do better in the final session.

But with Mikko Kuukka in the penalty box, Elgin Pearce scored (46:03) and Steelers' once-healthy lead had developed a sickly pallor.

Stars were bravely blocking shots however Eric Meland, who can pop up in just about any position, wristed towards goal, the puck deflected home by Eberle for 4-2 at 51:31.

Two points in the bank, after a hard night's work.