Cardiff’s first home Challenge Cup game of the season saw them face the Sheffield Steelers in a sold-out Vindico Arena.
Brandon Estes hit the winner in overtime to give the Cardiff Devils a 3–2 victory and complete a four-point weekend for the Welsh side.
“It’s huge,” said the Devils’ game-winner. “Every game matters here – you need every point you can get. Dropping a point could be the difference, so they’re all important.”
In the first period, a golden opportunity for the Steelers was denied by Christian Stoever at one end. In the same open passage of play, the Devils countered as Cole Sanford broke in on Eamon McAdam and calmly beat the goalie at 9:29.
Both teams continued to trade chances, but McAdam and Stoever held firm to keep the score at 1–0.
Early in the second period the Devils doubled their lead. Stoever started the move with a rapid pass out to Cedric Lacroix, whose feed, with an assist from Riley Brandt, allowed Ben Davies to make it 2–0 at 22:04.
Sheffield finally got on the board when a Jimmy Oligny high stick gave them a powerplay. A well-worked routine set up Dominic Cormier, who rifled a shot home with only two seconds left on the man advantage, just past the 28-minute mark.
The Steelers were unlucky not to level in period two, but you sensed an equaliser was coming in the third. It arrived only 43 seconds into the period through Mitchell Balmas to tie the game at 2–2. Sheffield then struck the post twice as Stoever and the Devils survived some anxious moments, while a pair of late penalties on the visitors gave Cardiff chances to win it in regulation.
With the teams heading to overtime each already guaranteed a point, Robert Dowd’s hooking penalty carried over into the extra frame. The Devils worked the puck neatly for Brandon Estes to blast a one-timer past McAdam and claim the extra point.
“We had the extra man there, and they left the one-timer lane open, so a quick pass and quick shot found the net,” said Estes of the winning goal. “It was really nice to play in front of the fans – we had a lot of noise tonight and got great support.”
Photo: Rebecca Brain
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