SHEFFIELD, U.K. – The Sheffield Steelers endured a turbulent weekend, firstly losing to EIHL basement outfit the Edinburgh Capitals 2-1 in league action, before travelling to the Midlands and beating the Coventry Blaze by the same scoreline in the Challenge Cup.
Steelers suffer an%27embarrassing loss%27 to the Caps%2C but win agains the Blaze
The Steelers hosted the lowly Edinburgh Capitals at Ice Sheffield on Saturday, and despite shelling 15 shots on Caps’ netminder Tomas Hiadlovsky in the first period, the hosts were held to a scoreless first stanza, mainly due to the impressive Slovak shot stopper.
The Steelers lost Tylor Michel in the second minute as he was assessed a checking to the head game penalty on Caps player Marc Fowley. The jury is still out on whether the penalty was deserves or not, with Fowley ducking to avoid the hit at the last second, but coming off worse due to this.
Both teams pressed, but it was the hosts who were dominating the opening period. The outstanding Hiadlovsky made a string of fine saves to deny Ashley Tait, Jeff Legue and debutant Simon Ferguson, which on any other night their efforts would have found the back of the net.
Against the run of play the visitors took the lead on the powerplay, courtesy of their latest signing Curtis Leinweber, who was on hand to tap home a rebound from close range to make it 1-0 at 25:19.
The Capitals stunned the bumper crowd at Ice Sheffield just three minutes later when they went two ahead, only for the goal to be waved off by referee Andy Carson due to the net being off its moorings before the puck crossed the line.
The Steelers pressed looking to claw their way back into the game, and almost did that when Jeff Legue came close but tumbled into Hiadlovsky in the Caps’ goal. The two exchanged pleasantries and a couple of quick punches before untangling themselves.
The Steelers were gifted a powerplay in the latter stages of the second period, and almost levelled the game with former NHL’er Steven Goertzen coming close.
On the very same powerplay the Steelers got their lifeline with Matt Stephenson dispatching a low rebound after an initial Colin Shields shot to make it 1-1 at 39:40.
Caps%27 goalie Tomas Hiadlovsky making one of his many impressive saves (Image courtesy of Dean Woolley)
Both teams came out for a fairly lacklustre third period, one in which the visitors outshot the Steelers by 8-6.
The two Steeler debutants in defenceman Chris Frank and feisty forward Simon Ferguson, both came close to scoring with good efforts of their own. Both players were shining stars in a drab and dull game.
With just seven minutes remaining in the game the Capitals came close after a scramble in front of Steelers netminder John DeCaro, with Caps’ marksman Rene Jarolin coming closest to breaking the deadlock.
At 53:46 the Capitals stunned the placid Ice Sheffield crowd with young defenceman Willie Nicolson beating John DeCaro five-hole to give his team a 2-1 lead.
Despite a resurgent fightback the visitors held on for their first away win in 14 attempts, much to the delight of the small but vociferous travelling Capitals fans.
Steelers new boy Simon Ferguson introduces himself to a Caps%27 player (Image courtesy of Dean Woolley)
The Steelers travelled to the Skydome Arena on Sunday with a bitter taste in their mouths, hoping to avenge the previous nights defeat with a win in the Challenge Cup.
Before Sundays game the Steelers hadn’t lost at the Skydome Arena in their last ten attempts, dating back to a Challenge Cup loss in September 2010.
The Steelers extended the run to eleven, with a much improved and hard fought 2-1 win, ensuring that they would top their Challenge Cup group and face the Dundee Stars in the Quarter Finals.
The Blaze started the stronger of the two teams, but neither side could find the back of the net in a scoreless first period, one in which the Blaze outshot the Steelers by 15-9.
The two teams have had a feisty rivalry in recent seasons and tonight’s encounter was no different. Steelers’ agitator Tylor Michel acquainted himself with Blaze pest Brad Leeb, the pair were assessed minor penalties for their pars in the fracas.
The Blaze came close to breaking the deadlock with Gerome Giudice almost converting after a scramble in front of the Steelers goal in the twelfth minute.
The Steelers pressed and almost took the lead with an effort of their own courtesy of skipper Jonathan Phillips, who’s blistering slapshot was superbly saved by Blaze netminder Peter Hirsch.
The Blaze were unlucky not to go ahead in the fifteenth minute after a great link up play by the outstanding duo of Shea Guthrie and NHL’er Matt Beleskey, only to be denied by the goalpost.
The visiting Steelers had a much stronger second period, and started to control the play in the Blaze zone with some strong cycling down low.
The Steelers were soon rewarded for their hard work when Great Britain international Jason Hewitt tapped in a goal line effort after some great work from teammate Jonathan Phillips to pave the way for his goal to make it 1-0 at 25:52.
The Steelers celebrations were short-lived as Blaze stalwart Russ Cowley converted on the powerplay to tie the game up 1-1 at 27:58, with a close range effort, the goal being his fifth in the last four games.
The Steelers pressed and soon regained their lead thanks to Jason Hewitt with his second of the game, after a drop pass from Rod Sarich (the assist being Sarich’s 300th EIHL point) he fired high past Hirsch from the slot with a spectacular effort to make it 2-1 at 33:02.
Jason Hewitt scores a brace of goals against the Blaze (Image courtesy of Dean Woolley)
With less than nine minutes of the game remaining the blue touch paper was lit, after Steelers goalscorer Jason Hewitt and Blaze forward Greg Leeb tangled in front of the team benches, Blaze enforcer Benn Olson soon joined the party as he came flying in with a savagely attempted cross check to Hewitt’s head, which fortunately the Steelers player anticipated and ducked out of the way.
In the ensuing melee Greg Leeb was assessed a game penalty for spearing, his brother Brad a two minute minor for roughing, and Benn Olson a 2+10 penalty for checking to the head.
The Steelers players to be assessed penalties were Jason Hewitt who received a double roughing minor, and Rod Sarich who received a 2+2+10 for attempted butt ending. The latter of the two players was quite fortunate to not receive a game penalty for his part in the brawl.
Despite the commotion in the third period the visitors held firm and took the 2-1 win and the two Challenge Cup points on offer.
Steelers Head Coach Ryan Finnerty offered his thoughts on the weekends games, “ Sundays win was a good one, a good way to bounce back but it doesn’t come close to papering over the cracks of Saturday. If we had that reaction and performance on Saturday we would have won by a distance. Sunday was an improvement but we have a long way to go,” Finnerty said.
“I was embarrassed on Saturday, I’m sure the guys were too. They should have been. I don’t think I’ve ever been involved in a game like that. It should have been all over after 20 minutes. Then we got off our game plan and tried to do it all ourselves. That doesn’t work. On Sunday we stuck to the game plan. We played the same way for 60 and look what happens,” Finnerty added.
“Yes there were some harsh words after Saturdays game, I think everyone would have expected that. I got a reaction out of the majority of the guys on Sunday but it shouldn’t need me to go in and rant to get a reaction. Sunday doesn’t sugar coat anything to me. It is going to be a tough week for everyone,” Finnerty concluded.
Contact the author at Scott.antcliffe@prohockeynews.com
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