Over the next couple of nights, the two big names in the Erhardt Conference lock horns again for a place in this season's Challenge Cup Final. Steelers versus Panthers and it's a repeat of the semi final last season which Steelers remarkably won on aggregate despite playing a rookie netminder in the NIC.
Will it be a repeat? Read on..
I am penning this moments before the puck drops in the first leg which is being played in the strange confines, well for a Steelers-Panthers game anyway, of Ice Sheffield. This has happened after the public wrangling over the semi final venues which featured certain parts of both organisations but that's now old news and it's time to decide who gets through to the Final at Sheffield Arena on March 6.
Both sides will be at as full strength as they can, with Steelers still missing both Colton Fretter and Robert Dowd as they are still on the way back from injuries. Marek Pinc will be in the home goal and he will need an excellent performance to back stop the home side as they look to take a decent advantage into the second leg in the Lace City just 24 hours from now. Tyler Mosienko had an excellent weekend just gone scoring five goals, should have been six but hey ho, and Paul Thompson will be hoping the centre will have another stellar performance in his locker to give his team a fighting chance. Mathieu Roy ended a goal drought on Sunday in Cardiff so maybe it's time for him to shine again.
Panthers had an upside down weekend just gone. Losing 6-2 in Belfast on the Friday; a performance that had some fans questioning why certain players were still in the black and gold and also bemoaning the loss of David Ling from the roster. They redeemed themselves 48 hours later with a home win over Coventry but it took a couple of Evan Mosey strikes to get the points after Chris Bruton and Drew Fisher had cancelled out a 2-0 home lead. Neilson's biggest dilemma I think is in goal. Does he go for Shane Madolora or Miika Wiikman? The former had a bad game when he faced Steelers last time out but will Corey give him the chance to get redemption.
Prediction? This is going to be close and the team that makes the fewer mistakes will win overall. Panthers powerplay is probably their biggest threat, and in David Clarke they have a man who has a deadly one timer. Steelers have been good on the penalty kill and this will need to be perfect tonight and tomorrow. They have to take their chances when they get them and play smart if they are to make a second successive Final.
Steelers to win leg one by 4-2, Panthers to win leg 5-2: therefore 7-6 overall on aggregate. I've been wrong before, so time to prove it again lads..
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