Panthers Cruise Past Steelers Into The Final (Cup 2nd Leg): Match Report

Tuesday 18th February 2013 - Nottingham Panthers (10-1-0) v Sheffield Steelers (7-4-0) @ National Ice Center. Face off: 7.30pm

Biggest game of the season, biggest performance of the season so far with a two goal deficit to turnover in Nottingham. Was it too much to ask?

The second leg of the semi-final got underway and it was start strong for the visitors having a few good chances and an early power play that they wouldn't make count and then Nottingham would strike on 4:40 after a poor turnover by Meyer allowed Jacina to play Matt Ryan onto the breakaway to coolly slot past Frank Doyle to give Nottingham a one goal lead. Just minutes later an absolute golden opportunity would fall to Jason Hewitt after Kowalski had spat up a rebound but the British forward couldn't score into the wide open net. Both teams would get power play opportunities but Sheffield's would be extremely poor and wouldn't be allowed the opportunity to set up but with the teams back to even strength Kowalski would fantastically save off Lacroix after a good counter attack and then again of Dowd after he used Meyer as a shield but would still see his shot saved but 15:56 the hammer blow came when Matt Francis took a shot at the blue line for Leigh Salters to tip it brilliantly past Doyle. Sheffield would get further chances before the end of the 1st as Langlais would shoot just wide on the power play before Legue fired one through the crease. But despite being out shot 13-4, Nottingham took a 2-0 lead into the break.

Going into the second period it was the worst possible start after just 13 seconds Doyle sited up a rebound then went in of a Steeler after Robert Farmer had swung at it and then just a further 2:53 later Frank Doyle was left out to dry when Eric Werner was able to pick up the puck just in in front of Doyle and put it straight through the five hole and it looked like the players had simply given up. Sheffield would go have two power play but like all season so far they wouldn't be able to make them count when it really matters and it wouldn't get better for Sheffield when on 28:26 not even past the half way stage yet Jacina got on the breakaway and cleverly deked it past the skate of Doyle for a five goal lead and and a 10-3 lead on aggregate. On 34:03 as the Nottingham penalty just expired Lacroix fed by Legue would shoot into the open goal to put Sheffield on the board and break Kowalski's shutout. At the other end Nottingham would go close as Salters only just tipped wide of the post and then with 15 seconds left in the second DiCasmirro would play in Meyer who would go for the wrap around to score at Kowalski's near post but Nottingham would take a 5-2 lead into the second interval.

So the third period and the Sheffield Steelers needed on big performance was it possible? Steelers started strong skating fast and hard with Dowd seeing a shot saved by Kowalski followed by a great save of Doyle as Tom Norton tried his luck but from the resulting face off on 42:16 Tom Norton shot straight through the five hold of Frank Doyle to make it 6-2 to Nottingham. With just over six minutes gone in the third period after great work by Meyer and Dowd played Dustin Kohn in near the right face off circle to place the puck past Kowalski at his near post for 6-3. Kowalski was having one of them nights when he was in fine form after seeing a Legue shot go just wide of the post made a comfortable glove save off Fata. Doyle then pad wide several Nottingham shots from Clarke, Salters and Francis within a few minutes then on 55:49 and the Steelers on the power play Lacroix scored his second of the goal again seeing Kowalski being beaten at his near post. That was the end of Kowalski's night as as Green replaced him into net for the final 4:11. With just over two minutes left in the game Tim Spencer threw down the gloves with Phil Oreskovic and he would hit Spencer with a few big hits before Spencer had rammed him into the Steelers bench and started hammering him with a few big right with Nottingham D man giving as much as he got before the officials broke it up to send them both for an early shower. Nottingham would finish the game on the power play but it would be Nottingham that would be facing Belfast in the challenge cup final after a poor semi-final by Sheffield.

FINAL SCORE: Nottingham Panthers 6-4 Sheffield Steelers (AGG 11-7)

Boxscore (1st-2nd-3rd-OT-[PIM]-{PP}-S)
Nottingham - 2-3-1-0-[21]-{0/2}-23

Sheffield      - 0-2-2-0-[11]-{1/7}-33

Nottingham Man of the Match: #68 Eric Werner
Sheffield Man of the Match: #10 Stefan Meyer

Referee: #9 Tom Darnell
Referee:
Linesman: #23 Lee Young
Linesman: #14 James Kavanagh

Yes it was too much to ask, a performance just wasn't their or when Steelers did start scoring the damage was already done but a very clinical Nottingham team because I think it was something like after 12 shots they had 6 goals or it wasn't far of that. This result puts Sheffield out of the challenge cup and means it will be a two legged final between 2013/2014 champions the Belfast Giants and the Nottingham Panthers. Sheffield now have only the playoffs left to play for and making this seasons playoff finals weekend is vital.

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