Panthers outplay Steelers: Match Report

Saturday 8th February 2013 - Nottingham Panthers (19-13-5) v Sheffield Steelers (21-13-3) @ National Ice Center. Face off: 7pm

With both teams on a two game losing streak both sets fans were hoping for a big game and a big performance but Nottingham would be the only fans leaving happy after Nottingham ran out comfortable 5-2 winners.

With Steelers missing Baldwin (suspended) and DiCasmirro (International Duty) the derby game got underway and it was the Steelers that started the better of the two teams when Kowalski had to make a fantastic double save first of Geortzen and was very quickly to deny Chris Blight just seconds later. Nottingham would begin to step their game up and Frank Doyle had cleared a puck he was ran into by Greg Jacina which got a reaction from Mark Thomas who went at him looking for a fight but would both receives penalties and Sheffield would find themselves on the power play, Sheffield wouldn't manage to set up and would see Nottingham kill the power play. With Nottingham on their first power play of the night a shot by Jonathan Weaver from the blue line on 7:32 would find it's way through traffic to give Nottingham a 1-0 lead. Some big hits would be thrown down as Fata put a big hit on Kalus but was only bettered by Salters on Dowd. Kowalski almost had his head in his hand as a puck got caught up in his stick and he very nearly put it into his own net. With the game being largely controlled by the home side Sheffield had very few scoring chances and when they did would only shoot into the body of Kowalski. On 15:19 and with Nottingham back on the power play Stevie Lee would fire a snapshot on the blue line only for Leigh Salters to fantastically tip it past Doyle to give the Panthers a two goal lead at the end of the 1st period.

The second period didn't get much better for the Steelers as Nottingham came out firing after just 1:16 Kalus found space to shoot a snapshot from the right hand face off circle to beat Doyle at his post and you can guarantee it's a shot the Sheffield goaltender would have wanted back. Nottingham would soon be back on the on power play which saw Francis hit the post and a dull Sheffield performance was summed up by David Clarke after being allowed the time and space to get a pass away while on the floor. Sheffield would have a great opportunity to score but wouldn't be able to tap it into the open goal but Nottingham would clear and break with Francis who would square to Lachowicz to shoot into an open goal for 4-0 on 26:49 which would be followed by Doug Christiansen calling a time out to try and breathe some life into his team. Nottingham continued to control the flow of the game but Sheffield would get a 5 on 3 opportunity but the best opportunity for the Steelers was somehow kept out and covered up by Kowalski who was having a fantastic game. Nottingham were skating faster and harder and finishing hits and Sheffield at times were struggling to just pass to each other. Nottingham would take a very comfortable 4-0 lead in to the break and if Sheffield was going to score I myself couldn't see where it was going to come from.

The third period started in very similar fashion to the second as after just 40 seconds Lachowicz found himself along in the face off circle and shot a snapshot that beat Doyle through the five hole to put Nottingham five goals to the good and another shot that Doyle would have wanted back. Doyle wouldn't concede anymore but would make some great saves of Matt Francis, Greg Jacina on the doorstep but on 50:25 and with the Steelers on the power play Dustin Kohn would receive a puck from Chris Blight for his first Sheffield point and would shoot on goal beating Kowalski and going in off the back post to take away the Nottingham's shut-out. Like I said previously if Sheffield were to score I had no idea where it was coming from but what a goal it was. Nottingham would get a final power play opportunity but wouldn't find a way past Doyle and didn't have too as the damage was already done. With the clock ticking down and with only 2:05 remaining in the game Dan Green replaced Craig Kowalski in goal to see out the remainder of the game and Green would be called upon straight away as he saved fantastically of Kohn just in front but would gift Sheffield a second goal on 59:07 after spitting up a rebound Jason Hewitt jumped onto the loose puck to score into the open goal. Despite the two Sheffield goals Nottingham would go onto win 5-2 a result which means the Belfast Giants can go and win the league title in Nottingham next weekend just like Nottingham won it in Belfast the previous year.

FINAL SCORE: Nottingham Panthers 5-2 Sheffield Steelers

Boxscore (1st-2nd-3rd-OT-[PIM]-{PP}-S)
Nottingham - 2-2-1-0-[14]-{2/7}-33

Sheffield      - 0-0-2-0-[18]-{1/5}-37

Nottingham Man of the Match: #33 Craig Kowalski
Sheffield Man of the Match: #20 Jonathan Phillips

Referee: #26 Dean Smith
Referee:
Linesman: #14 James Kavanagh
Linesman: #33 Gordon Pirry

A poor performance by the Steelers in Nottingham but that result levels the season series at 4-4 and Sheffield and Nottingham meet again on Wednesday in the 1st leg of the Challenge Cup semi-final but before that face the Coventry Blaze at the Motorpoint in a league match where the fans will want a reaction after tonights match.

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Tom
@TomWalkeden