Sheffield Steelers started the new season in emphatic style, hitting six past Coventry Blaze at the Utilita Arena.
“It’s great to be back, and nice getting a win like that. It gets the confidence going for the Challenge Cup,” said Evan Jasper. “When we play our system we’re a tough team to beat.”
To say the Steelers won the first period was somewhat of an understatement. With 3:46 gone, the home side thought they’d gone ahead, but the play was reviewed with the net being out of position. On watching the replay, the puck entered the net off the post, which was not in its normal position, and so the goal was washed out. Ivan Bjorkly-Nordstrom fired home an Evan Jasper pass to open the scoring at 13:54, followed some 90 seconds later by Olivier Archambault doubling the lead. When Robert Dowd scored with 1:33 left in the period, the Steelers were in complete control.
“This is the first week me, Dowd and Ivan have played together, so we’re trying to get the chemistry going,” added Jasper. “It’s great to see another young Brit coming up in the Motorpoint Elite League and we worked well together tonight.”
Things didn’t get much better for the Blaze in the second. Mikko Juusola needed just 18 seconds to extend the home side’s lead to four, while Evan Jasper made it five just past the 28-minute mark. A late powerplay chance for the Blaze failed to get them on the board.
“Not the start we necessarily wanted, it’s tough to digest,” began Blaze’s David Clements. “We were short of bodies and that played a part at times, and we gave Sheffield a little bit too much respect in their own building. You give a team like that too much time and space and they punish you.”
Leevi Teissala had the only goal of the final period as the Steelers ran out convincing six-goal winners.
“I’m proud of the guys who played heavy minutes when we needed them tonight. Sheffield did a good job keeping us to the outside. We had a good third period, but in this league you need to have a short memory and be ready to go again,” added Clements.
