SHEFFIELD, U.K.- The Steeldogs stung the Bracknell Bees 6-3 on Saturday Nov. 10. before suffering a close 3-2 (after OT and penalties) defeat against the Milton Keynes Lightning, the following day, in the Sheffield side’s double home game weekend.
In their victory over the Bees, Steve Duncombe opened the scoring for the Steeldogs, through a PP goal at 3:43 after Bracknell’s Jan Bendik was given a hooking penalty.
Moments later, it was the Steeldogs on the back foot. After Ben Morgan and Pavel Gomeniuk picked up minor penalties at 4:42 for roughing and cross-checking, respectively, the Bees capitalised to level the scoring. Shaun Thompson provided the finish at 6:06.
Bracknell took the initiative less than two minutes later, with a goal from Marcel Petran at 7:34 on a delayed penalty.
Before the end of the first period, however, the Steeldogs found a crucial equalising goal. Gomeniuk blasted the puck into the back of the net at 15:41 to make it 2-2.
The Steeldogs took the lead once more six minutes into the second period. Captain, Greg Wood, fired the puck past Bracknell netminder, Tom Annetts, to give his team the lead at 25:45.
The momentum was with the Steeldogs as they began to dictate proceedings. After dominating possession, Derek Campbell extended their lead to two with a skilful backhanded shot over Annetts at 38:14.
Less than four minutes into the third period, the Steeldogs found themselves on a 5-on-3 PP, with both Sam Oakford and Alan Lack seeing out roughing penalties for the Bees. The Sheffield side took full advantage of the opportunity, scoring two goals in quick succession.
Campbell secured his second of the night, firing the puck into the top shelf at 44:05. Assistant Captain, Duncombe found his second goal of the game also, as he fired the puck past Annetts at 45:50 to make it 6-2.
Steeldogs Steve Duncombe claims the MOTM award after scoring two goals to lead his side to a 6-3 victory over the Bees (Picture courtesy of the Sheffield Steeldogs)
The Bees pulled one back with minutes left on the clock with a second goal from Petran at 52:44. A Bracknell comeback never looked like being a possibility, however, as the strong Steeldogs team saw out the remainder of the game.
The game ended with an impressive 6-3 home win for the Sheffield Steeldogs over the Bracknell Bees. Steve Duncombe was awarded the MOTM.
On Sunday Nov. 11., the Steeldogs faced another tough home game, this time, against the Milton Keynes Lightning.
It took 15 minutes for the deadlock to be broken, with Steeldogs, Ashley Calvert, providing the clinical finish. In what was a quiet first period, with no penalties and little goal-mouth action, the score remained 1-0 to the Steeldogs, heading into the second period.
The second period began with a tussle between Steeldogs player/coach, Andre Payette, and Milton Keynes’ tough-guy, Grant McPherson. Payette’s fists connected, punch after punch, in what was, ultimately, an easy fight for the 36-year-old.
At 28:19, with Milton Keynes’ Christopher Wiggins serving a two minute minor for hooking, Lightning’s assistant captain, Adam Brittle, equalised with a SH goal.
Moments later, the Lightning were brought back down to Earth, as Ben Morgan converted on the PP for the Steeldogs to make it 2-1.
Milton Keynes dominated the remaining minutes of the second period, with a total of 18 shots on net to Sheffield’s two.
In the third period, it was the Steeldogs who took the bull by the horns, applying vast amounts of offensive pressure on the Milton Keynes netminder, Alex Mettam. The Steeldogs, however, could not find a way past the Sheffield born goaltender.
With six minutes remaining of the third period, Lightning’s Nicholas Poole, converted for the Milton Keynes side to tie the game and send both teams into OT.
Neither side could find the crucial goal in OT, so the game headed to penalties.
With the score tied at 1-1 after the first two rounds of penalties, Steeldogs, Derek Campbell stepped up. The former EIHL forward missed for Sheffield.
Milton Keynes captain, Adam Carr, made no mistake with his penalty, firing the puck past Steeldogs netminder and MOTM, James Flavell, to give the Lightning the win.
The game ended 3-2 (after OT and penalties) to Milton Keynes.
Andre Payette said, “ The guys played great this weekend, they worked really hard and we deserved the four points… Three points is still good, though I really thought we deserved the four,”
“I was really happy with the defensive commitment this weekend and if we are going to continue like this, we will be where I want to be with the team.”
The Steeldogs next host the Telford Tigers at home on Saturday Nov. 17. before travelling to Basingstoke to face the Bison the following day.
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Contact the writer at ryan.laycock@prohockeynews.com
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