SHEFFIELD, U.K. – The Sheffield Steelers lost their first game in sixteen against fellow Yorkshire rivals the Hull Stingrays. Sheffield however, did secure a hard fought win over the Dundee Stars giving them a further two points to help maintain their spot at the top of the Elite League table.
Sheffield%27s unbeaten run of 16 games comes to an end at the hands of the Hull Stingrays
Sheffield played host to Dundee on Thursday (24th February) claiming a valuable two points after a 5-3 win, but were made to work hard for it by a short benched and resilient Stars’ team.
It was the visitors who got off to the perfect start through former Cardiff Devil Jay Latulippe at 5:09 after some good work from Tristan Harper along the boards.
There was no further scoring in a period, which Sheffield outshot Dundee by 16-12.
The second period started much like the first with Dundee once again taking the lead with a goal through Sam McCluskey at 26:39, the goal being McCluskey’s first of the season.
Sheffield fought back and Neil Clark got Sheffield back on level terms with a well-taken goal at 28:45 to make it 2-2.
The impressive Peter Cartwright edged the visitors ahead with a powerplay goal at 33:13 to make it 3-2.
The Stars’ celebrations were short-lived when Steelers fan favourite Jeff Legue restored parity just 47 seconds later to make it 3-3.
Billingham born Rob Dowd fired the Steelers ahead for the first time in the game at 37:42 to make it 4-3.
Both teams came out firing but both netminders Ervins Mustukovs and Ladislav Kudrna of Sheffield and Dundee respectively kept the oppositions efforts at bay ensuring a tense final period.
Sheffield Steelers Player/Coach Ben Simon put the game out of reach when he sailed home an empty net goal at 58:51 to complete a tough night for his men.
Steelers Player/coach Ben Simon had to settle for two points out of four at stake (image courtesy of Sheffield Steelers
Sheffield then faced fellow Yorkshire counterparts the Hull Stingrays at the Motorpoint Arena on Saturday the 26th of February. The Stingrays came out on top with a 4-3 well-deserved victory.
Sheffield got off to the perfect start with Jeff Legue netting a powerplay marker at 2:32 to give his side a 1-0 lead.
Sheffield’s Player Coach Ben Simon netted his second goal of the weekend on the powerplay at 15:18 to edge his team in front to make it 2-1.
Hull came out the stronger of the two sides in the second stanza as they outshot the hosts 14-8.
Jeff Legue doubled his teams lead at 24:20 with his second goal of the game and his third over the weekend to make it 3-1.
The third period started and Hull came out with fire in their bellies with Lee Mitchell netting his second of the game 49 seconds into the period to make it 3-3.
Konstantin Kalmikov then fired home the all-important go-ahead-goal for the Stingrays on the powerplay at 53:50 to give them the lead for the first time in the game.
Sheffield now find themselves at the top of the Elite League table with 79 points from 48 games. Belfast are in second with 72 points and have two games in hand on Sheffield.
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