Steelers dethrone Devils in ill tempered game

Welcome to our match report from Sunday's home game against the Devils.

After a win in Nottingham on the Saturday night, Steelers headed into the Sunday game with a bit of confidence in themselves. However, the opposition were none other than the current Elite League champions Cardiff Devils who look certainties to complete back-to-back title triumphs any moment soon. Steelers iced the same roster as they did in Nottingham which meant Andreas Jämtin was the spare import but it was later explained that the Swede had flown back home as his wife was expecting a baby. Cardiff were at full strength but with one notable omission, Thomas Murdy again deputised for Ben Bowns who was apparently "rested" by the Cardiff fans we asked. Earlier reports had alleged the GB internationalist was suffering concussion symptoms and advised not to play.

The game was only 57 seconds old when we had the first indications that it would be a tempestuous game. Steelers Robert Dowd and Devils Bryce Reddick clashing in the far corner. Almost a couple of minutes after exiting the box, Reddick was back in it: this time clashing with Mathieu Roy with former NHLer Tyson Strachan also involved. Steelers took the lead just shy of the eight minute mark though, a broken up play in the home zone found its way out to Colton Fretter and he skated up ice one a 2 on 1. With Devils expecting the pass, Fretter thought the opposite and potted an effort over the glove of Murdy for the opener and his 18th of the season. Zack Fitzgerald then sat a 2+10 for a check to the head on the dangerous Joey Martin which the latter almost punished but clipped the post. The penalties and chances kept coming in a feisty opening period but after one period Steelers led by that Fretter strike despite being outshot 19-7.

Middle period saw the Devils ramp the pressure even more as they looked for the breakthrough but some excellent defending and netminding by the Steelers was holding them at bay. One let off did happen, Sean Bentivoglio stripped Matt Marquardt of the puck in his zone but saw his shot hit the crossbar. Yet against the run of play, Steelers made it 2-0 at 25:39. A low slapshot by Miika Franssila arrowed its way home with Murdy scrambling across to try but get nowhere near. Miika's 4th of the season. A minute or so later Devils were back within one, a superb effort from Strachan from the offensive blue line that would have beaten most goalies. Strachan then went hero to zero moments later when after Matthew Myers had cleaned out Franssila on a non-call, Strachan launched an illegal check to the head on Eric Neiley and then had a scrap with Matt Marquardt which saw him ejected on a 5 plus Game for the initial incident whilst receiving a coincidental major for the fight. This gave Steelers a five minute powerplay, could they take advantage?

Two goals in 27 seconds extended the lead. First of all at 28:24, Dowd's pass across the crease gave Fretter the simple task of tapping home his second of the night and 19th of the season past Murdy and then Dowd and Mark Matheson combined once more, this time seeing the protégé known as Liam Kirk get the all important tip in for 4-1 and the forward's 9th of the season. Devils needed a way back into it, but Ervins Mustukovs was having nothing of it as he denied Bentivoglio on a breakaway from the Italian internationalist. Yet there was nothing the netminder could do as Martin produced some sensational skills to reduce the arrears to 4-2 at 33:51, a fantastic goal. This spurred Cardiff on further but the middle period ended 4-2 in favour of the Steelers.

The final period was backs to the wall effort for the Steelers. Cardiff had obviously been given a few stern words from Andrew Lord in the period break and they had the Steelers firmly on the back skate so to speak. However, Steelers were hanging on and producing a defensive masterclass which would have been great if they were chasing the title. The defensive rear-guard was limiting the team to occasional offensive flurries and when they came these saw shots straight at Murdy who was proving to be a decent replacement for the absent Bowns.

It was also a penalty filled final period which saw Fitzgerald take an early shower with just over seven minutes to go, Fitzgerald was in the last 50 seconds of a hooking penalty when his emotions got the better of him and he was dispatched to have an early shower for abuse of officials in addition to a further minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. Devils sacrificed Murdy with 1:49 left and gambled but it was one that failed to make any inroads for the Welsh side: in fact it saw them concede a fifth with 14 seconds left. The inspirational Fretter escaped down the right wing, passed but saw Devils half clear it to one of their own in the shape of Steelers skipper Jonathan Phillips who tapped home his second shorthanded goal of the weekend and 8th of the season whilst Davey Phillips sat a slashing minor. It ended 5-2 in the Steelers favour and with Manchester winning in overtime at Braehead ensured the Devils title celebrations were on ice..well until Wednesday night anyway!

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Steelers 5 Devils 2

Steelers Scoring: Fretter 2+1, Aarssen 0+2, Matheson 0+2, Dowd 0+2, Kirk 1+0, Franssila 1+0, J.Phillips 1+0, Valdix 0+1.

Devils Scoring: Martin 1+1, Strachan 1+0, Fournier 0+1, Batch 0+1, Pope 0+1. 

Shots On Goal:  Steelers 27 Devils 50

Powerplay: Steelers 2 from 5 (40% conversion), Devils 0 from 9 (0% conversion)

Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 57 Devils 42

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 48 Saves (1300), GAA: 2.00 (2.34), Save Percentage: 96.00% (91.90%).

Man of the Match: Colton Fretter (Steelers), Joey Martin (Devils)

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