Welcome to our match report from last night's game at Cardiff.
After suffering their second successive loss at home to Nottingham on the Saturday night, Steelers headed back down the motorway to play newly crowned back-to-back Elite League Champions Cardiff for the second time in the space of four days. It was a sell out crowd in Ice Arena Wales as the Devils were to be presented with the Monteith Bowl at the end of the game. Steelers showed two changes from the side that lost to the Panthers, defenceman Davey Phillips was out after suffering a nasty knock in the 3-2 loss and Brad Day started between the pipes. Whether this was related to Day's performance four days previous or Steelers were resting regular starter Ervins Mustukovs is unknown but the Huddersfield-born netminder was the starter in South Wales. Cardiff were at full strength bar long-term injured Brit Craig Moore.
Steelers started the game like the proverbial house on fire, and continued in the same vein as they had 24 hours previously: that is outshooting their opponent comfortably. It said it all when the shot count at the end of the first period showed a staggering 19-3 in the Steelers favour. However, unlike Saturday, Steelers actually profited from their dominance and deservedly led 2-0 at the end of that opening period. Devils were forced on the back foot, conceding possession in their own zone after Ben Bowns had saved Mathieu Roy's initial effort: Swedish centre Andreas Valdix tucked home the juicy rebound for his 13th of the season. Just under five minutes later at 13:23, Steelers doubled the lead. Some great work by Robert Dowd and Mark Matheson did the hard work and Valdix was there on the doorstep for his second of the night and 14th of the season.
It was a fully deserved lead for the Steelers in a building where they have had little success all season and it got better at 23:45 when they made it an impressive 3-0 on the night. With Devils picking up a spot of penalty trouble, the visitors made a 5 on 3 powerplay count. Jonas Westerling was attempting the pass across Bowns' crease but the pass took a deflection off a Devil and the puck nestled into the net for Jonas' 9th of the season. Devils were more offensive in this middle period, probably as a result of a few harsh words by player-coach Andrew Lord, and they reduced it to 3-1 just short of the halfway mark. Matt Pope scoring the goal to give some life back into his side.
The offensive threat continued in the final period but we had three goals in the space of just under two minutes in it. At 49:41, Devils made it a one goal game when Layne Ulmer finished with an effort that beat Day low on his blocker. 55 seconds later and the Steelers two goal margin was restored when the ever-dependable second line. Levi Nelson fed Valdix, whose shot was saved by Bowns but the GB internationalist could do nothing more as Dowd picked up the rebound and tucked it away for his third goal of the weekend and 21st of the season. 58 seconds after that it became a one goal game again, Justin Faryna lighting the lamp after Devils had caused the Steelers to concede possession in their own zone. But that was as good as it got for the home side as a Day-inspired Steelers stood firm despite the inevitable onslaught to record two vital road points and poop the Devils party on ice.
Time for the statistics:
Goals: Devils 3 Steelers 4
Steelers Scoring: Valdix 2+1, Dowd 1+1, Roy 0+2, Westerling 1+0, Matheson 0+1, Nelson 0+1, O'Connor 0+1.
Devils Scoring: Ulmer 1+1, Richardson 0+2, Pope 1+0, Faryna 1+0, Hotham 0+1, Haddad 0+1.
Shots On Goal: Steelers 39 Devils 29
Powerplay: Steelers 1 from 4 (25% conversion), Devils 0 from 3 (0% conversion)
Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 12 Devils 12
Steelers Goaltender Stats: Day 26 Saves (72), GAA: 3.00 (2.84), Save Percentage: 89.70% (91.10%)
Man of the Match: Brad Day (Steelers), Layne Ulmer (Devils)
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