SHEFFIELD, U.K. – The Sheffield Steelers were back to winning ways last night after an impressive 7-3 win over Scottish outfit the Braehead Clan at Ice Sheffield.
Two points from a possible four from the Steelers
In an evenly contested first period, it was former Steeler Phil Hill who got the Welsh side on the board first with a powerplay strike at 11:02 to make it 1-0 to the hosts.
Both teams pressed and chances were kept at bay thanks to some great goaltending from Phil Osaer and John DeCaro of Cardiff and Sheffield respectively. Cardiff edged Sheffield by 13 shots to 12 in the first period.
Both teams came out strong in the second period and the tempo picked up with the hosts imposing themselves and throwing their weight around.
The Devils towering defenceman Josh Batch hit former Devil fan favourite Tylor Michel with a hard high hit, with the Steelers player lying laying on the ice.
The Devils fans then proceeded to boo Michel whilst he was lying on the ice, which was the only sour note in an otherwise great game. Michel left the game with a suspected concussion, whilst Batch was assessed a 2+10 penalty for checking to the head.
The hosts soon doubled their advantage courtesy of new EIHL sensation Mac Faulkner with his league leading twelfth goal of the season on the powerplay at 25:41 to make it 2-0.
The much-scrutinised Sheffield goaltender John DeCaro certainly earned his crust in the game after keeping the host’s chances to a minimum with a string of fine saves in the second period.
The Steelers broke their duck at 38:20 when defenceman Matt Stephenson snuck into the back post unmarked to fire home after an initial Rod Sarich shot to make it 2-1.
Despite a resurgent third period from the visitors, where they out shot the hosts 14-6 it wasn’t enough for them to claw their way back into the game as the Devils held tight as the clock ticked away ensuring that they would claim the win and the valuable two points at stake.
24 hours later it was a different story in Sheffield as the Steelers played host to the Braehead Clan for the first time this season at a packed Ice Sheffield, due to Nickelback occupying their normal home next door, the Motorpoint Arena.
It was to be the Steelers fans that were rocking at the end of the first period as they raced off to a 3-0 lead early on.
Jeff Legue got the Steelers off to a perfect start as he capitalised on a fortuitous bounce of the boards behind Clan keeper Garrett Zemlak’s net which the goalie mishandled and Legue taking advantage, to make it 1-0 at 4:17.
Jeff Legue now finding some good form (Image courtesy of Dean Woolley)
At 13:21 Legue turned from provider to scorer with a great pass to find Ashley Tait unmarked at the back post for a close range tap in to make it 2-0.
It was all one-way traffic in the first period, as Sheffield out shot the Clan by 17-5 in an exhilarating high tempo display that has been lacking in recent games.
Clan Player/Coach Jordan Krestanovich was just returning to the ice after sitting a penalty for holding as Sheffield netted the third goal of the night with Ashley Tait firing low past Zemlak at close range as Rod Sarich picked up a great assist on the play, paving the way for Tait’s goal at 16:40.
The second period was a much closer affair between the two sides. The Steelers Tylor Michel who suffered a concussion in Cardiff 24 hours earlier, was in the wars again as he battled along the boards with the Clan’s Robert Farmer and he sustained a rib injury from exchange, causing him to play no further part in the game.
Former Elite League top points scorer Jade Galbraith got the Clan’s first goal of the game as he fired home a low slapshot after a Krestanovich shot was rebounded out to him, and the Clan number thirteen made no mistake at 30:33.
The Steelers soon restored their three goal margin when former Clan defenceman James Jorgensen pulled a nice move on Zemlak in the Clan goal, and put a low backhand shot past him, after some good work from Steelers Captain Jonathan Phillips at 33:49 to make it 4-1.
The Clan would be next to score courtesy of Ryan Watt as his shot came off Steelers defenceman Drew Fata’s skate to make it 4-2 at 38:34, with the goal being Watt’s second of the season.
The third period started and the Clan came out of the gates early and at 42:40 controversy struck as the Clan thought they had pulled a goal back with Jade Galbraith claiming the honours. The referee Dean Smith had consulted with the goal judge who both deemed that the net was off its moorings before the puck crossed the line.
Steelers top points scorer Ashley Tait adds 3 more to his tally (Image Courtesty of Dean Woolley)
The Clan however did score a perfectly fine if not somewhat lucky goal seven minutes later on the powerplay as a Steven Birnstill shot from the blueline came off the boards behind the net nicely out to Jordan Krestanovich who fired home at 49:19 to make it 4-3.
The Steelers pressed and soon made it 5-3 thanks to a fine top shelf effort by Glaswegian Colin Shields who scored from the high slot at 54:19 as he added insult to injury by popping the water bottle on the net.
Just a couple of minutes later after the Clan failed to clear then defensive zone, Shawn Limpright who had just assisted on the Shields goal netted a goal of his own on a 2-on-1 with Shields at 57:00 making it 6-3 to the South Yorkshire side.
With just 35 seconds of the game remaining the Steelers hit their seventh and final goal of the night as Steven Goertzen fired home from the top of the slot to make it 7-3 and ensuring his team snapped the losing streak and picked up a valuable two points.
The Steelers Head Coach Ryan Finnerty offered his thoughts after the game, “ We did enough to win the game in Cardiff on Saturday I felt, I thought the guys put in a great effort and deserved more. I think we carried that form into the game against Braehead. We came out strong and 3-0 was the least we deserved at the end of the first period, it might have been double that,” Finnerty said. “Braehead are so gifted offensively and in Jade, Jordan and Goldie they have three guys that can hurt you. 3-0 down they rolled the dice and gambled, they got some chances and made it tough for us in the third period. Overall I was pleased with the performance, it’s something we build on and hopefully with a new body in the line up next weekend for the games against Fife and Belfast,” Finnerty added.
Contact the author at Scott.antcliffe@prohockeynews.com
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