Match Report: 7.9.14 - Devils v Steelers CC

Sunday 7^th September 2014 – Cardiff Devils (0-0-0) v Sheffield Steelers (0-0-0) @ BBT. Face-off: 6pm, Challenge Cup

The summer is just about over! The Ice Hockey season is back and the Sheffield Steelers travelled to the Big Blue Tent to take on the Cardiff Devils in a challenge cup match.

Cardiff Devils – 2
Joey Martin
Chris Culligan

Sheffield Steelers – 3
Mathieu Roy (2)
Jason Hewitt

Cardiff entered the Ice in their Red Jerseys while the Steelers were in their white road jerseys, Tom Darnell was the man in the middle and it was a very evenly matched start to the game and physical at that with Colton Fretter laying the first hit of the night before Sheffield tried to get on the offensive through Dowd who laid off to Hay on the blue line only to see the defencemen’s wrist shot padded wide. Devils would get their first powerplay of the night as the returning Rod Sarich received two minutes for tripping on 2:18 and then Devils went on the offensive starting off with Martin shooting through the crease of Doyle, the home side then went on to hit the Iron before a glove save by Doyle of the stick of Hendrikx from the blue line. Devils would end up on a very short 5 on 3 as Cullen Eddy was called for boarding on 4:10 but the Steelers dug in deep and showed some fantastic penalty killing with Colton Fretter impressing massively after his skating and persistence kept the Devils in their own zone. Steelers were back to full strength and Cullen Eddy was net up to test out Bowns from the blue line after a play from Forney but saw his wrist show saved. There were some big hits being thrown this time Pascal Morency getting involved then Steelers would get their first powerplay of the season as Andrew Lord got called 2 minutes for tripping but it wouldn’t be the best start as Devils would find themselves on a breakaway only to see it saved and then at the other end Ben Bowns was performing an acrobatic sprawling save to deny Mike Forney at the back door. Some poor defensive play for the Devils let in Baldwin down the left hand side 2v0 and he squared to Morency who shot straight into the pads of Bowns. Sheffield would then end up killing a 5 on 3 penalty with Forney and Hill in the box and wouldn’t allow Cardiff any shooting lanes and would successfully kill the penalties before there was some more pushing and shoving at center ice again with Morency involved but the teams would go into the dressing room all squared up at 0-0.

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

Shots on Goal: Devils 14-5 Steelers

The second period got underway and we wouldn’t have to wait long for the first goal of the game when on 1:22 Frank Doyle committed himself to make a save a good save at that but he was caught out of his goal for Joey Martin to be picked out and shoot into the empty net from the faceoff circle to bring the BBT alive but there smiles were short lived when on 4:19 Mathieu Roy opened his account for the Steelers after Kohn played to Forney who passed to Roy all alone in front of goal to tuck the puck under Bowns, Straight of the face off Cardiff went on the attack through the always impressive Jake Morissette who saw his re-directed shot save by the body of Doyle. It wasn’t long till Sheffield was smiling again when on 5:05 a fantastic pass by Phil Hill found Jason Hewitt who was able to re-direct past Bowns for Sheffield’s first lead of the new season. Cardiff would then have some more powerplay time and Hendrikx would try his luck shooting through traffic but couldn’t beat the blocker of Frank Doyle. British forward Robert Dowd then showed his strength as he skated into the zone protecting the puck with the body before he wasn’t able to find Latulippe un-marked before then winning the puck back himself and seeing his backhand hit the post and then we saw the first fight of the season and it came from an unlikely source and that was our very own 10 year Steeler Mark Thomas who jumped in to stick up for Dowd and didn’t hesitate in dropping the gloves with Jesse Mychan and what a reception he got by the travelling fans. With the Steelers on the powerplay on 9:31 Cardiff Devils found themselves on the breakaway with Culligan in possession of the puck and he was able to make Doyle commit and Culligan put the puck round the body Doyle to lot into an empty net for the shorthanded goal. Sheffield didn’t let that put them down when just two minutes later Mathieu Roy would score his second of the game to put Steelers 3-2 up after Cullen Eddy took a shot from the blue line it found its way through Bowns and bounced in the crease behind him for Roy to tap it in for an easy goal. Morency was next up to drop the gloves with Trevor Hendrikx and it was a fairly even fight until Morency missed a punch and slipped and Hendrikx took control and the bragging rights. The second period sort of fizzled out after that with both sides after good chances along with some big hits along the boards but it was the Steelers who took a 3-2 lead into the break.
End of the 2nd Period: Cardiff Devils 2–3 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Devils 9–13 Steelers

Third period got underway and Sheffield were straight on the attack through Robert Dowd as he brought out the tricks and turns to try and find his way to goal but couldn’t get through and manages to play in Latulippe who sees his shot go against the post. Devils turned over the puck and gave it straight to Mathieu Roy for his third but he tried to round Bowns but was denied by the netminder. Sheffield would then get another powerplay opportunity after #27 was deemed two minutes for slashing after he hacked down Dowd after the Steelers forward got the better of him. Doyle had to stand big to a few good attempts by the Devils but persistence prevented them from breaking through. Some good defensive play saw Steelers counter with Morency and after the forward tried to poke check the puck further he was then caught by a high stick which was given as a check to the head and a playing misconduct and 2+10 was something the home fans wasn’t happy with. There was further calls made on both sides Darnell had been a busy man but with the clock ticking down Latulippe found himself out the box and Morency had him for assistant but went alone but couldn’t beat Bowns then with 49 second left Bowns was pulled for the extra attacker but the Devils couldn’t set up and find an equaliser and ran out of time and Steelers would be taking the two cup points home.
Shots on Goal: Devils 5–8 Steelers

FINAL SCORE: Cardiff Devils 2–3 Sheffield Steelers

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

Cardiff     - 0-2-0-0-[50]-{0/8}-28

Sheffield - 0-3-0-0-[32]-{0/7}-26

Cardiff Man of the Match: #57 Chris Culligan
Sheffield Man of the Match: #15 Mathieu Roy

Referee: #9 Tom Darnell

Referee:

Linesman: #23 Lee Young

Linesman: #15 Sam Motton

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Let's Go Steelers!

Tom
@TomWalkeden
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