Hull v Sheffield in Final Challenge Cup Game: Match Report

Saturday 30th November 2013 - Hull Stringrays (1-5-1) v Sheffield Steelers (4-3-0) @ Hull Arena. Face off: 6.30pm

Having already qualified the next round of the Challenge Cup the Steelers are the only team with anything to play for as Hull can only and will only finish fourth but Sheffield have got the chance to finish 2nd as Cardiff and Nottingham go head to head in their final group game on Sunday as its Coventry who will finish bottom and not progress through to the next round. Hull and Sheffield have already met this season in the Challenge Cup and that ended in a 4-3 victory for the Steelers at Ice Sheffield but Sheffield fans will be looking for a bit more of a comfortable win against their local rivals. The key players to watch for the Stingrays is Jereme Tendler who is extremely dangerous confront of goal and their starting goaltender Ben Bowns who on his day is an outstanding goaltender. The key players for the Steelers in this game will most definatly be forward Jeff Legue who needs just a goal or an assist to make it 500 points in Elite League competition and as Stefan Meyer has returned to the line up after injury I would definatly say he's another to keep an eye on.

The 1st Period started with a twenty minute delay to face off as their was broke plexi glass at the Steelers end of warm ups. the game started with Ben Bowns and Frank Doyle in goal for their respected team. The Sheffield Steelers didn't take long to get going when DeCasmirro would win the opening face off and Sirianni would be allowed to skate through and force a top save out of Bowns after just 10 seconds, Sheffield would continue to press with Bowns just padding a Geortzen shot wide as well as Stefan Meyer not being able to put away a DeCasmirro rebound it was looking like it was going to be one of the games for Ben Bowns. Sheffield would take the 1st penalty of the night when DeCasmirro would go for hooking and it wouldn't take long for Hull to punish them when at 7:54 Carl Lauzon after being set up by Cloutier and Doucet would fire a fierce slap shot from the left hand side to give Hull the lead. Steelers again got back on the front foot when Bowns would make several saves one of Sirianni who was 1 on 1 at the time, after that Frank Doyle was called up on having to catch several pucks to keep Hull out again. At 13:24 Sheffield's Jonathan Phillips was called for "Hooking" which was confusing as it looked like Phillips was the one having his stick held, Sheffield would kill the penalty and again both sides would be prevented from scoring at either end and the 1st period would finish 1-0 to the home side.

2nd Period started and Frank Doyle had to be on best form as shot rebounded up of his pads and he had to be their to glove it away but not long later he was soon caught out of his net when he wondered behind the goal to collect a loose puck but a wayward pass for Hull would end up back at their own net minder. At 26:57 Nate Decasmirro would play to S. Meyer who would feed Sirianni at the blue line and fire a great slap shot past the very impressive Ben Bowns to level the scores. Ben Bowns wouldn't let that effect him as Legue played in Geortzen who tried to deke round Bowns and shoot into the open net but Bowns would some how get it into his glove. Stingrays would go back on the power play as Stefan Meyer was sent for cross checking after several top saves from Doyle he was almost caught out but Baldwin put himself in the way to get a block on the puck and push it out to the blue line and Drew Fata would steal and have his breakaway shot saved. Steelers would finally get their first power play chance and would have opportunity's to sore but S. Meyer and Geortzen couldn't tip the puck in the right direction. There would be a bit of handbags as Tim Spencer and Sylvain Cloutier were going at each other and Spencer would put him on the floor and they would both go for 2 minutes for delay of the game at 37:30 and when they both got out the box Cloutier would get hold of the puck and Spencer went in straight away for the check. Second Period finishes all square.

3rd Period started at a very fast pace as Steelers would get 3 shots away within 10 seconds in which Bowns who had been outstanding all night saved them all. But at 41:13 the moment all Sheffield fans had been waiting for Jeff Legue's 500th Point in Elite League Competition as he would tee up Drew Fata who sent his trademark Slap shot past Ben Bowns to give Sheffield the lead. It would be Frank Doyle's turn to prevent a goal scoring opportunity as he would have to stop Tendler from the face off circle. the game would quietened down but would be a big moment as Hewitt who had been outstanding all night skated round the goal and Nell would have his shot saved on the door step and both would be trying to get the loose puck and Hewitt would be launched into the goal by Stingrays Jamie Chilcott would eventually get 5+game as Hewitt would get 2 minutes for roughing as he was trying to go for Chilcott after the cross check so they went 4 on 4 hockey and Doyle would safe a bouncing puck and Sheffield would clear of the line. A 3 minute power play would follow and Bowns would continue with his outstanding performance and wouldn't allow them in anymore as the clock ticked down. Mike Bolton would go to replace Ben Bowns in between the pipes for the final 90 seconds in which he would face one shot and would save it.

FINAL SCORE: Hull Stingrays 1-2 Sheffield Steelers

Boxscore (1st-2nd-3rd-[PIM]-{PP}-S)
Hull        -  1-0-0-[54]-{1/3}-26
Sheffield - 0-1-1-[12]-{0/3}-43

That would be the end of Hull and Sheffields cup campaign until the knockout stages in the new year as Hull would finish in 4th as 1-6-1 and it looked like Sheffield will finish in 3rd as 5-3-0 as Nottingham and Cardiff play their final group game on Sunday. Drew Fata would pick up the Man of the Match award for Sheffield after his Game Winning Goal and Matthew Davies would be rewarded with Hulls. Hull take on Braehead Clan in Hull on Sunday and Sheffield host the Fife Flyers at the Motorpoint Arena.

Thanks for reading guys. Any questions or comments get in contact via Twitter or Email me at Tomwalkeden@gmail.com

Tom
@TomWalkeden