Steelers fight back from three down in top of table clash

The Steelers were on the road tonight at the Spectrum in Guildford to take on the league leading Guildford Flames in a top of the league clash as the Steelers sit second in the league standings, 8 points behind the Flames but with three games in hand.

In changes to last nights squad which routed the Nottingham Panthers by seven goals to three, Scott Allen returned to action as Mason Mitchell missed out. We also welcomed a new family member in the form of Matt Croyle who was on emergency backup duties to starter Matt Greenfield.

[First Period 2:0]

The Guildford Flames took a two goal lead into the second period as the Steelers were unable to get a firm foothold on the game.

The Flames taking the lead in the sixth minute through Marklund as Locke sent the puck through Greenfield’s blue paint from the right wing and Marklund’s stick was in the right place to tip it home.

Connolly and Marklud were sent to the box in the 12^th minute as they both got tangled up at the players bench and were called for a delay of the game penalty.

The four on four hockey led to ex-Steeler Ben O’Connor getting his name on the scoresheet with a signature rocket from the blue line which was too much for Greenfield and was beaten glove-side.

The Steelers looked to pick up the tempo and were awarded with a powerplay in the 16^th minute as Crocock was called for cross-checking. The Steelers moved the puck around well but the final finish escaped them as the Flames returned to full strength.

Flames netminder McAdam then robbed Dowd of the Steelers first goal after being found in-front of McAdam’s blue paint as he flashed the leather to deny the puck heading top corner.

[Second Period 3:1]

Frustrations started to show part way through the second period as try and they may, the Steelers seemed unable to find the opening goal after putting on the pressure.

The Flames saw off two penalties to start off the second period as Ferguson was called for hooking and McNulty for slashing. The table toppers then went three goals to the good as a scrappy broken up play seemed to take away the concentration of the Steelers players and Tedesco took advantage picking up the puck at the back-post from Ferguson and finished well.

Despite all the Steelers pressure five on five, it was a short-handed goal which would get the Steelers on the scoreboard. Daniel Ciampini picked up on a mistake by O’Connor at centre ice, gloved down the puck from the air and went in one on one with McAdam and finished smartly.

Into the third period we go as the Steelers look to make up the two goal deficit in the final twenty minutes of regulation.

[Third Period 3:4]

The team that scores in bunches managed it once again in the third period to pull off an amazing comeback with three unanswered goals.

The first two goals of the period coming in the space of 69 seconds, the first scored by our own #69 Adam Raska as he was first to the loose puck after some good work from Thomas Pitule who went backhand on McAdam but he could only deflect the puck away into oncoming traffic.

The second goal then courtesy of a signature rocket from new Dad, Sebastian Piche as Neumann laid the puck off to him at the right wing hashmarks and he beat McAdam up high.

Cometh the hour and cometh the man as the Steelers searched for the game-winner and who else but Brendan Connolly to score his first goal of the season just when the Steelers needed him most? Working his way up from defensive duties, Connolly picked the puck up around the blue line, took a quick shot low on McAdam and it was enough to beat the Flames netminder.

Credit then has to go to the penalty killers as they killed off a 1 minute and 12 second five on three penalty as Nevalainen and Piche both sat in the box for separate infringements.

The Flames searched for an equaliser late with McAdam pulled but the Steelers held on for another four point weekend split between the Challenge Cup and League.

The two points tonight now brings the Steelers within 6 points of the Flames with three games in-hand.