Sheffield Steelers move closer to the Holy Grail

Sheffield Steelers are steamrollering their way toward the treble.

With league and cup already in the bag, they hammered Fife Flyers 9-4 in a crazy Play Offs Quarter-Final first leg on Friday night.

Cole Shudra scored twice and Josh Nicholls bagged three assists in the rout.

Defenceman Sam Jones collected three points, too.

With a five goal advantage, they should finish the job off comfortably in the second leg in Scotland in Sunday.

Coach Aaron Fox vows to attack Fife again in that game - they won't change their style despite that killer aggregate advantage.

Prior to Friday's match, Fife had promised to execute a smart defensive plan - but they lost the puck and were outworked so often they were ruthlessly torn apart.

Their coach Tom Coolen had urged his underdogs to "grab this challenge."

And while they went behind to Mitchell Balmas's 30th goal of the season at 10:40, Fife's leading scorer Troy Lajeunesse equalised with a one-timer at 17:14. So far so good, for the three-line side.

Sheffield turned on the jets though in a 4-1 middle period and soon there was no way back for the Scots.

First Shudra slipped the puck between away goalie Shane Owen's legs and then Balmas helped himself to a second...two goals in 70 seconds.

Max Humitz reduced the home advantage for Fife, but then there was another two-goal cluster, with Shudra getting his second and defenceman Sam Jones getting in on the act, for 5-2 at 34:57.

Steelers had powered in 23 shots after two periods and were looking good value to add more.

IceSheffield's audience was on its feet twice in succession again as Brandon Whistle and Mikko Juusola rang up seven Steelers goals.

The match was going offensive-mad now with Max Humitz and Marco Vallerand trading, before Colin Shirley got a fourth for Fife.

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Steelers don't often concede four goals, and if there was any doubt who would end up on top Brett Neumann found the net for the first time in 16 games, at 57:47.

Can Fife work a miracle at their Arena on Sunday?

No, their season is effectively over.

But for Sheffield the Holy Grail that is the Grand Slam awaits.