Ice hockey: Fife's flying start

Ice hockey

STEVE PINDER

After two weeks of competition, Fife Flyers, Nottingham Panthers, Durham Wasps and Slough Jets have all made marvellous starts to the season with 100 per cent records in their respective groups of the the Benson and Hedges Cup.

But it was Flyers and Panthers who provided the thrills, both beating local rivals. Fife Flyers met Murrayfield Royals, who were determined to put past off-the-ice troubles behind them.

Chris Palmer scored for Fife against his old club but Tommy Boll equalised after seven minutes. Flyers then hit three more to go 4-1 up at the end of the first period. Royals, playing with just two imports, then scored the only two goals of the second period.

The second was the most bizarre of the weekend, with referee Steve Horner awarding Mike Wagstaff the goal 10 seconds after the goal judge had ruled that the whole of the puck had not crossed the line. But the lack of imports told and Fife scored four in the final period for an 8-4 win.

Sheffield Steelers entertained Nottingham Panthers in a local derby that has been marred by trouble in the past. They effectively won the game in the first period with Chuck Taylor and Darren Durdle making it 2-0 to Nottingham.

Panthers' cause was helped when Steelers' Mike Blaisdell was thrown out after 13 minutes for misconduct, and despite Sheffield levelling the game 3-3 at the end of the second, Anthony Pelham's goal with 17 minutes left and Scott O'Connor's net minding were enough to give Panthers a onegoal victory margin.