Tuesday night was hockey night at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham for your Sheffield Window Centre Sheffield Steelers. The Steelers men decked out in full Orange for their ‘home’ fixture against the Coventry Blaze.
Steelers still sitting top of the table courtesy of goal difference, taking 10 points from their 8 games to date.
The Blaze are on the same points as the Steelers, so the winner tonight sits on their own at the top.
Warburton keeps his position in goal tonight after his stellar performance against the Storm on Sunday, backed up by Churchfield
A change of lines for Fox tonight as Kirk is moved to the 2nd line in place of Dowd who finds himself on the 1st line with Olden and Connolly.
Puckdrop took place at 4pm and shortly after the start, Eberle was called for cross-checking at only 51 seconds.
The Blaze didn’t take long to take advantage and at 2.12 the hot stick of Tristan Keck found the back of the net, assisted by Hammond and Bryhnisveen.
The Steelers had the majority of the play from then on in, with Owen making some cracking saves throughout the period.
When called upon, young Warburton looked solid again in net for the Steelers.
The play came alive for the Steelers at 8.09 when the Blaze took a slashing penalty which was followed up 53 seconds later with a high sticking call, sending the Steelers 5 on 3 for 1.07.
Steelers moved the puck well and Connolly was the man to find the equaliser with help from a few skates in front of the net. Connolly assisted by Olden and Schulze at 9.50 levelled the game at 1-1.
The remainder of the period was a tight affair and the highlight of the period came in the closing seconds as Beaudry delivered a beauty of a hit on the Blaze man behind the Blaze goal.
We head into the 1st intermission 1-1.
The 2nd period started with a 2+2 penalty on the Blaze as the man in the blue and white was adjudged high sticks against Captain Jono which also drew blood.
The Steelers pressed but couldn’t build any sustained pressure and the penalties lapsed with nothing too much to write home about.
The second period was the period for the 4th line to do their thing, and Pákozdi made a lovely move down the left wing to create a chance in front of Owen but the Steelers man couldn’t squeeze the puck home.
The 4th line was out again in the 32nd minute and some top, top work from Alex Graham winning the puck back on several occasions set up the chance for Schulze to take a blast from the blue line which was tipped in for Matthew Myers 1st goal in Orange. Goal scored at 32.18, assisted by Hrabal and Schulze.
It wasn’t long before the Steelers took a 2 goal cushion in the game courtesy of Brendan Connolly’s second of the game who beat Owen up high, the goal scored at 33.49 assisted by Saxrud-Danielsen and Dowd.
The intensity in the game had been rising and a double pad save by Warburton ended the period followed by a bit of pushing and shoving and words to be had by both teams.
Steelers lead 3-1 heading into the final period.
The 3rd period started with some confusion as the Steelers found themselves 5 on 3 with both Connolly and Eberle in the Steelers penalty box.
The Blaze didn’t take long to take advantage and at 40.23 Laakkonen picked up the goal, assisted by Hammond and Ferrera. The Steelers managed to kill off the remaining penalty. 3-2 Steelers.
The Steelers were getting their 5 on 3 practice tonight as both Dowd and Connolly picked up a penalty on the same play. Quality work from the d-men, along with the solid Warburton managed to see off the 5 on 3.
The Steelers were energised by the effort and took full advantage via Kirk at 47.24, assisted by Connolly and Hewitt.
Robert Dowd was next on the scoresheet at 51.49 who managed to squeeze the puck underneath Owen, assisted by Connolly.
Brendan Connolly with 2 goals and 2 assists on the night.
A late penalty for the Steelers and the Blaze brought the game back within 2. The Steelers bench not happy with what seemed like an early whistly preceding the goal, but it ultimately stood. The goal timed at 58.16, scored by Keck and assisted by Laakkonen and Ferrera.
That was all she wrote and the Steelers take the 2 points 5-3 and go 2 points clear at the top of the table.
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