Match Report: 27.9.2014 - Steelers v Devils CC

Saturday 27^th September 2014 – Sheffield Steelers (1-1-0) v Cardiff Devils (1-2-0) @ Motorpoint Arena. Face-off: 7pm, Challenge Cup

Sheffield Steelers – 2
Darrell Hay
Michael Forney

Cardiff Devils – 2
Matthew Myers (2)

The game started well for the Steelers looking to get on the front foot from the off and would probably have been ahead if it wasn’t for Bowns being in outstanding form tonight and it started when Fretter skated into the zone and played too Forney from behind the goal but could only shoot into the body of Bowns and then it was Eddy to try his luck after a pass from Dowd but again couldn’t get it past the leg pads of Ben Bowns, Cardiff would try to create some offence of their own after Doyle saves off Chris Jones deflected shot. Steelers would then get the first of 10 powerplay and their best opportunities would come through Fretter who shot straight into the body of Bowns but the Devils managed to clear the rebound and that was before Roy just missed out on a tip from in front of a Forney shot, Cardiff would then get a power play opportunity of their own and would come very close to scoring as Joey Martin couldn’t get the puck any further than the post then with Dowd out the box he broke with speed and forced a decent glove save out of Ben Bowns and then not much later with Sheffield back on the man advantage Ben Bowns made the save of the night after Forney played a backhanded pass from the face-off circle to Roy at the back door who save his re-direct magnificently save by Bowns, Into the second half of the 1^st period Cardiff went close again as Culligan drove the net and tipped just wide at the back door and then Forney had a great chance to open the scoring as Kohn tested Bowns from the blue line the puck fell to Forney but it went straight over his stick to the Steelers forward frustration. Cardiff started to then get a bit dirty through Trevor Hendrikx on Phillips and then Andrew Hotham on Thomas who didn’t like the hits the Steelers players threw but both were perfectly good hits but both teams would go into the break all square.

End of the 1st Period: Sheffield Steelers 0–0 Cardiff Devils

Shots on Goal: Steelers 12-10 Devils

Second Period got underway with the scores still all level but Sheffield would get an early powerplay as Myers was called for interference and Forney would be first to try his luck but Devils would eventually scramble to clear their zones and then on 24:14 Tyler Mosienko making his debut would skate down the right and throw a puck in front of goal that seemed to go off the skate of Darrell Hay the bobbled its way past Ben Bowns but there was no kicking motion so the goal was given. Cardiff would put some pressure on Doyle’s goal to find an equaliser and Walton would fire a shot on the forehand on goal but Haddad could only re-direct wide of goal but then on 26:33 Cardiff would find their equaliser with some good pressure and some good passing play by the Devils a touch of the stick of Matthew Myers would find its way past Frank Doyle to level the scores at 1-1. That was followed by one of the strangest moments that you will see all season with the Steelers back on the power play Mike Forney would fire a slap shot from the point that hit a post and Forney celebrated thought it had gone in (I’m not going to lie I actually thought it had as well) but Darnell said no and then a further two minutes would be played before there was a break in play and then the officials spoke and came to a decision and awarded the goal upon review so the clock had to be reset to 31:52 and Michael Forney was awarded with the Steelers second goal on the power play a decision the Devils didn't seem best impressed with and that showed in the coming minutes after a late hit on Kohn ended up with pushing and shoving involving Haddad, Hendrikx and Kohn which would put Steelers on a four minute power play but they wouldn’t be able to score with the best opportunity coming from the Devils as Martin tips a shot onto the pads of Doyle it was a poor power play lightened up at the news that the Stingrays were winning 4-0 at the NIC. Cardiff then go their own 4 minutes power play with Hewitt in the box Cardiff got to work but several big saves by Doyle kept out Richardson with the help of Hay as well as Marsh seeing his wrist shot tipped wide, Cardiff really had Sheffield camped in their zone and they couldn’t get the puck cleared and when they eventually did through a poor turnover the Steelers broke through Phillips as Hewitt came out the box but the British bulldog couldn’t get his shot away but the clock would run down and the Steelers would take a 2-1 lead into the break.
End of the 2nd Period: Sheffield Steelers 2–1 Cardiff Devils

Shots on Goal: Steelers 17-10 Devils

Third period got underway and it was really a period where the Devils dug deep and probably in the end got what they deserves, Cardiff went hunting for the equaliser early on as Haddad tried to handle the puck round Doyle but the Steelers netminder managed to get something on it before the puck was iced, Cardiff were trying to drive the net but some great closing down defending denied a scoring chance for the visitors. Both teams had a chances on the man advantage but there was quiet a long quiet spell but Devils were still digging deep but some great skating by Robert Dowd found himself on the breakaway but his slap shot was saved by Bowns and then Phillips was looking to create some offence in the Cardiff zone but had no support and then with the Devils pressing high up the Ice the Steelers had to rely on Doyle with some fantastic doorstep saves which was probably unlucky for the Devils who feel they probably should have scored on of the opportunities. With the clock ticking down Gord Baldwin would be penalised for Boarding on a perfectly good hit but the penalty was made so the Steelers had to deal with it but on the power play Cardiff pulled Bowns for a 6v4 situation and then on 59:13 a big wrist shot by Carl Hudson from the blue was tipped by Matthew Myers into the back of the net to level the game and send the game into overtime.
End of the 3^rd Period: Sheffield Steelers 2-2 Cardiff Devils
Shots on Goal: Steelers 7-11 Devils

Overtime started and it was pretty quiet 5 minutes but Doyle had to save a tip from a Devil forward followed by Lord missing a near open goal, Bowns also saved of Forney in the sudden death period but overtime would fizzle out and go to penalty shots with both teams taking a point away the only question was who would take the second point.
End of Overtime: Sheffield Steelers 2-2 Cardiff Devils
Shots on Goal: Steelers 2-1 Devils

Sheffield Shooters:-
#14 Michael Forney – Saved By Ben Bowns
#21 Tyler Mosienko – Saved By Ben Bowns

Cardiff Shooters:-
#47 Jake Morissette – Scored
#88 Joey Martin – Scored

FINAL SCORE: Sheffield Steelers 2–3 Cardiff Devils PS

Boxscore (1st-2nd-3rd-OT-SO-[PIM]-{PP}-S)

Sheffield - 0-2-0-0-0-[12]-{2/10}-38

Cardiff    - 0-1-1-0-1-[22]-{1/4}-33

Sheffield Man of the Match: #17 Jason Hewitt
Cardiff Man of the Match: #8 Matthew Myers

Sheffield Points Round Up: - 5 Points
Frank Doyle (0+1), Michael Forney (1+0), Tyler Mosienko (0+1), Dustin Kohn (0+1), Darrell Hay (1+0)

Cardiff Points Round Up: - 6 Points

Carl Hudson (0+1), Matthew Myers (2+0), Mark Richardson (0+1), Luke Piggott (0+1), Jake Morissette (0+1)

Referee: #9 Tom Darnell

Referee:

Linesman: #22 Paul Staniforth

Linesman: #14 James Kavanagh

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Let's Go Steelers!

Tom
@TomWalkeden
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