Mixed results for the Steelers against old foes

SHEFFIELD, U.K. – The Sheffield Steelers 100% unbeaten record was broken over the weekend, as injuries to key players took its toll on the South Yorkshire side. The Steelers firstly travelled down to Cardiff for the Saturday evening showdown, missing Captain Jonathan Phillips who sustained Knee ligament damage the previous weekend, and Tom Squires who missed the weekend’s games with a shoulder injury.

                 
Sheffield’s back line was also depleted as Rod Sarich and Matt Stephenson were carrying knocks of their own, but decided to play through the pain barrier for the good of the cause.
The game was effectively over in the first period for the Steelers with Cardiff netting three goals, two of them coming on the powerplay. Former Steeler Phil Hill haunted his old employers, as he was the first on the scoresheet at 3:05 with a powerplay goal.
Just over nine minutes later and Hill once again subdued the vocal travelling support with a neat finish at 12:22 after some good work from linemate Stuart MacRae.
Cardiff continued to dominate the play, and they were rewarded for their efforts with another powerplay goal, this time coming from new signing Jeff Pierce with only 14 seconds left in the period.
Cardiff went into the period break the happier of the two teams after their clinical finishing and a 3-0 scoreline in their favour was suggesting a win on the cards already.
Both teams had their chances in the second period, with both netminders Stevie Lyle and John DeCaro of Cardiff and Sheffield respectively, putting on a goaltending showcase.
Sheffield came out much stronger in the third period and outshot the hosts 17-9, but Cardiff once again found the back of the net, with Brad Voth hammering the final nail in the coffin for Sheffield as he made it 4-0.
Cardiff were visitors to the Motorpoint Arena 24hours later, but found themselves on the wrong side of a 5-3 scoreline. The result was much closer than it suggested, with the Devils dominating for 45 minutes of the game, and some may say they were unlucky not to leave Sheffield with any points.
19-year-old powerhouse winger Sam Smith got the Devils off to a perfect start when he netted after 99 seconds after some good work from linemate Ben Davies paving the way for his third goal of the season.   
Smith’s opener was the only girl of the first period with the Welsh side edging the hosts 12-11 on the shot count.
Sheffield came out the stronger of the two teams in the second period, with Player/Coach Ryan Finnerty getting his team back on level terms at 25:06 after a neat pass from Mike Ramsay, who found Finnerty as he left the penalty box on a breakaway, with Finnerty making no mistake roofing it backhand past a helpless Stevie Lyle in the Cardiff goal.
Sheffield then went ahead for the first time in the game with Neil Clark picking up his own rebound and slotting it past Lyle once again to make it 2-1 to the orange clad Sheffield Steelers.
Sheffield’s celebrations were short lived as Phil Hill slotted home a shorthanded equaliser at 32:16, after a fine pass from Stuart MacRae finding Hill backdoor unmarked.
Cardiff regained their lead at 38:09 in emphatic fashion with Jeff Pierce firing home an astonishing wristshot, which even a majority of Sheffield fans clapped showing an appreciation for the fine go-ahead-goal.
A nervy third period ensued, with both teams squandering chances. It wasn’t until the 52^nd minute when there was a breakthrough, Jason Hewitt stepped upto the plate and rocketed home a powerplay goal to tie the game up at 3-3.
Former Odessa Jackalopes winger Mike Ramsay had the home fans in raptures as he netted the all-important game-winning goal at 53:17 after a great pass from Neil Clark.
Ramsay then added the icing to the cake with 55 seconds of the game remaining as he sailed home an empty net goal with Stevie Lyle watching helplessly on the Cardiff bench.  
Sheffield claimed the 5-3 win and the two points that were on offer, but they did so less than convincingly with several defensive lapses in the game and a string of indisciplined, un-needed penalties that almost cost Ryan Finnerty’s men the match.
Sheffield Steelers Player/coach Ryan Finnerty shared his thoughts on the game, “We didn’t come out the way we needed to, but we battled back and showed a lot of character in the third period and got the two points. The low’s are low and the high’s are high but im delighted to get the two points tonight” Finnerty said.  
Contact the author at Scott.antcliffe@prohockeynews.com