SHEFFIELD, U.K. – The Sheffield Steelers quest to land the EIHL title for a second consecutive year hit a stumbling block as they lost to title rivals the Cardiff Devils on Saturday evening 4-3.
Tyler Mosienko celebrates the first of his five goals over the weekend (Image courtesy of Dean Woolley)
However, the Steelers did bounce back 24-hours-later and recorded an impressive 5-4 win in the affectionately known ‘Big Blue Tent’ their first win in the building this season.
With both teams picking up two points, the Devils still remain two points ahead of the Steelers with a game in hand, ensuring similar to last year, the final four weeks of the season will go down to the wire once again.
The Steelers hosted the Cardiff Devils on Saturday evening with 7,331 fans in attendance hoping for an exciting and exhilarating game in the highly anticipated fixture.
The hosts came out of the gates flying and had the Devils on the back foot straight away when Jace Coyle fired narrowly over with a one timer from the slot after just 25 seconds.
The Steelers early pressure soon paid off at 02:51 when Tyler Mosienko was on hand in the slot to re-direct a Jace Coyle point shot low past Bowns to give his side a 1-0 lead.
It wasn’t until the seventh minute mark when the Devils offered their first real chance as Chris Culligan attempted to go top shelf on Marek Pinc’s short side from the right wing slot, only to be denied by a good glove save.
The Steelers almost extended their lead moments later when veteran forward Conny Strömberg cut in from the right wing and tested Bowns with a backhand effort, but the Rotherham-born shot stopper was equal to the test.
Despite powerplay opportunities for both teams midway through the opening period, neither team took advantage. No further scoring followed in the period, one in which the Steelers dominated.
The hosts started the second period strongly and soon doubled their advantage when Ben O’Connor found Tyler Mosienko trailing in the slot and he fired high over Bowns’s glove to make it 2-0 at 23:05.
Ben Bowns played a pivotal role in his teams win (Image courtesy of Dean Woolley)
Looking to swing momentum, Devils rugged forward Leigh Salters invited Steelers winger Gui Desbiens to drop the gloves, which he duly declined, resulting in Salters returning to the bench.
The Devils pulled a goal back at the midway point of the game when Chris Culligan found linemate Tomas Kurka alone in the slot, and the Czech national fired a sublime wristshot via the right post past Marek Pinc at 30:27.
The Devils equalised on the powerplay at 35:02 courtesy of player/coach Andrew Lord who used Ben O’Connor as a screen and fired a low wrist shot past Pinc blocker side to make it 2-2.
The turning point of the game came just over a minute later when Tyler Mosienko who was searching for his hattrick had a goal ruled out as linesman Lee Young overturned Tom Darnell’s decision as he judged that the puck had been kicked in.
No further scoring followed in the second period, one in which the Steelers narrowly outshot the Devils 10-7.
Still reeling and visibly rocked from the disallowed goal decision, the hosts soon went behind as Cardiff took the lead for the first time in the game courtesy of EIHL top scorer Joey Martin who broke down the right wing and fired a well-placed wrist shot beneath Pinc’s glove for his 25th goal of the season at 43:39 to give the visitors a 3-2 lead.
At 48:44 the Devils extended their lead when Ryan Russell was on hand to pick up a Tomas Kurka rebound and backhand the puck low past a sprawling Pinc to give Cardiff a 4-2 lead.
The hosts had the perfect chance to pull a goal back when Conny Strömberg beat Bowns with a brilliant move but couldn’t put the puck in the vacant net and fired over the bar from close range at 53:13.
With just 14 seconds of the game remaining Tyler Mosienko would complete his hattrick with a powerful one-timed slapshot low past Bowns from the right slot, after a great pass from Levi Nelson.
The Devils ran the clock down ensuring that they collected the valuable two points, much to the disappointment of the Steelers players and fans.
The Steelers travelled to South Wales 24-hours-later to play their final game at the ‘Big Blue Tent’ hoping to avenge last night’s loss.
The Devils drew first blood at 4:05 when Leigh Salters converted from a great Joey Martin pass at the back post to put the puck high past Pinc to give the Devils a 1-0 lead.
Leigh Salters nets the Devils first of the night (Image courtesy of Helen Brabon)
Both teams shared chances in the first period, most notably from Tomas Kurka and Ryan Russell for the hosts, with Roy and Desbiens threatening for the visitors.
The Steelers drew level at 18:02 on the powerplay when Tyler Mosienko fired a great wristshot past Bowns’s blocker after a great pass from Jace Coyle.
With time ticking down in the first period, a strong forecheck in the Devils zone saw Mathieu Roy force a turnover and an errant pass from Carl Hudson was pounced on by Conny Strömberg in the slot and he fired high past Bowns glove side at 19:57 to give the Steelers a 2-1 lead.
The Devils started the second period strongly and soon restored parity when Zach Hervato fired a low wristshot from the left wing slot past Pinc to at 24:36 to make it 2-2.
At 29:12 the Devils came close to adding a third when Tomas Kurka fired a shot on net, the puck was loose and a scramble in the crease followed, but Pinc was equal to the test and dived on the loose puck and freezed the play.
The hosts thought that they had scored late in the period when Carl Hudson fired a shot from the right point through traffic which found the back of the net. Referee Tom Darnell waved the goal off, citing that Andrew Lord was in the crease. A melee followed with Zack Fitzgerald and Andrew Hotham exchanging pleasantries.
Zack Fitzgerald and Andrew Hotham trade blows (Image courtesy of Helen Brabon)
A frantic third period would see both teams share five goals ensuring that both the Devils and Steelers fans alike were on the edge of their seats.
The final period was just 36 seconds old when Conny Strömberg edged the Steelers ahead with his second of the game. Skating down the left wing he banked the puck off Bowns’s leg as he was skating behind the net and it crossed the line to make it 3-2.
The hosts replied just over a minute later when Great Britain international Josh Batch fired a rocket from the blueline through traffic which beat Pinc on his glove side to tie the game at three apiece.
The Steelers regained their lead at 42:44 when a Rod Sarich shot from the blueline was expertly re-directed from Mathieu Roy past Bowns for his 26th goal of the season to make it 4-3.
Cardiff rallied and soon restored parity thanks to Tomas Kurka on the powerplay as he snuck into the back post and one timed home after Leigh Salters picked him out with a pinpoint pass to tie the game up at 45:07.
The Steelers scored their fifth and final goal of the game when Tyler Mosienko skated down the left wing and cut into the net and backhanded high past Bowns for his second of the game and fifth of the weekend at 47:45.
Despite late chances from both teams, neither team could convert ensuring that the Steelers would take the valuable two points on Sunday and split the weekend with two points apiece.
The Steelers now face the Nottingham Panthers back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday in the Challenge Cup semi-final before hosting the Dundee Stars on Saturday and travelling to Coventry on Sunday in league action.
Contact the author at Scott.antcliffe@prohockeynews.com
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