Steelers hellish night with the Devils

SHEFFIELD, U.K. – The Sheffield Steelers were brought back down to earth with a bump from their recent 7-game winning streak from the Cardiff Devils, who are now unbeaten in a staggering 21 games. Sheffield were well and truly outclassed by a relentless Cardiff team orchestrated by defensive lynchpin and ex-NHL star Craig Weller.

 
Steelers Captain Jonathan Phillips made a return from injury against his former team, with it being Phillips’ first competitive game since October 16^th. Even Phillips’ presence wasn’t enough to help the Steelers, as they went down to a 1-4 first period thrashing by Gerad Adams’ men.
 
Craig Weller ensured a perfect start for the visitors after he rifled a blistering slapshot past a helpless Ervins Mustukovs in the Steelers goal at 5:04. Cardiff’s pantomime villain Brad Voth doubled his team’s lead at 9:49 much to the frustrations of the Sheffield crowd.
Devils Player/Coach Gerad Adams added further misery to the home teams night after he roofed an unstoppable slapshot of his own at 11:38.
 
Sheffield had a glimmer of hope at 14:36 when Joey Talbot fired home on the powerplay to reduce his team’s deficit to two.   With just under two minutes remaining in the first period the Elite Leagues top scorer Jon Pelle restored his team’s 3-goal cushion after a defensive breakdown from the Steelers, which gifted Pelle his 37^th of the season.
 
Cardiff pressed and their tireless forecheck and work ethic paid off once again, this time it was young Welsh power forward Sam Smith getting himself on the score sheet at 24:56 to give the Devils a 5-1 lead.
 
Former Manchester Phoenix defenceman Kenton Smith fired home the Devils sixth of the night on the powerplay at 37:37 which rounded off the second period scoring.
It was merely damage limitation for Ben Simon’s men in the third period, but once again, a Brad Voth effort eluded Steelers goaltender Ervins Mustukovs at 51:38.
 
Sheffield’s frustrations began to show as Jeff Legue was assessed a hooking minor in the 56^th minute. Legue thought he was on the receiving end of a blatant elbow by Brad Voth as the two fell to the ice.
Legue angrily threw his helmet into the penalty box, which hit the plexi with such force it bounced back onto the ice. Legue further got himself in hot water as he aimed an obscene hand gesture towards referee Andy Carson that linesman Chris Beck duly noted and informed Carson, who then assessed Jeff Legue with a match penalty for abuse of an official.
 
As Legue was heading to the dressing room, he hurled a water bottle at Brad Voth as he was sat laughing at Legue on his Cardiff bench.   This blatant lack of discipline rounded off a poor night for the Steelers, after a much hyped grudge match between two stellar teams, with only one deserving of the plaudits.
 
Legue will be missing for the Steelers game against the depleted Edinburgh Capitals (15^th January) but Sheffield will be boosted by the return of defensive figurehead Steve Munn, who returns after a concussion sustained against the Devils last month.
 
Sheffield face a tough end to the month with games against the Coventry Blaze and the Belfast Giants imminent.
 
Contact the author at Scott.antcliffe@prohockeynews.com