Two goals and an assist from Mitchell Heard helped Glasgow Clan take a 3-1 lead to Sheffield Steelers on Sunday after winning the first leg of their play-off quarter final at Braehead Arena.
Play-off hockey was back in Glasgow after a two-year absence and the men in purple along with the Purple Army in the stands were determined to make it as uncomfortable as possible for the Steelers in this last eight clash.
It was almost shades of that play-off quarter final in 2014 when Clan last reached the play-offs in terms of atmosphere, such was the raucousness of Braehead Arena.
On the ice, the Clan players were in no mood to offer solace to a wounded Steelers team, who saw their league title hopes evaporate in the final minutes of the regular season.
Feeling particularly ruthless was Mitchell Heard, who opened the scoring just under the six minute mark as Clan escaped from their own zone on a breakaway, with Clan’s #13 taking it on, skating through and slotting it past Greenfield.
They nearly added a second a minute later as Félix Paré saw a route to goal with a shot, but Sheffield’s goalie dealt with it on that occasion.
Steelers started to enjoy more of the puck, but were finding a much different Glasgow side in front of them, with Landon Bow in the home goal, dealing with chances from Samuel Tremblay and Veeti Vainio.
Rylan Schwartz saw one from hm trickle wide, while Patrick Watling was denied a clear effort on net by Bow.
Corey Neilson’s side kept the intensity going in the second, with Sideroff denied by Greenfield then the Steelers goalie stopping two quickfire chances from Rylan Schwartz and Chris McKay.
Schwartz had his back to goal as he set up Matt Berry minutes later, but couldn’t find the way to net.
When Bow was called upon, he had to deliver some key saves too, stopping a close range Brandon Whistle opportunity low at his near post.
Heard was put through again with a similar chance to the one he scored with, but Matt Greenfield wasn’t going to let it past him again.
Cade Neilson was also thwarted at the left post, set up by Robert Lachowicz and Clan couldn’t advance on their only goal so far, but not for the lack of trying.
A second goal came as Heard was played in by Schwartz as he let rip a shot that beat Greenfield over his blocker early in the third.
Then a feisty contest was made even more tasty as Paré and Kevin Tansey exchanged blows, somehow making a very loud arena even louder.
Greenfield denied Tyson McLellan with a gilt-edged chance, but Steelers did get themselves on the board as Daniel Ciampini executed a low finish to deny Bow’s hopes of a shutout.
Heard turned provider for the late third goal with 58 seconds to go, setting up Matt Berry to finish, delighting the home fans.
Now attention turns to Sunday in the Utilita Arena where Neilson and his side can hopefully finish the job against last season’s treble winners.
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