Match Report: 15.11.2014 - Steelers v Giants EC/EIHL

Saturday 15^th November 2014 – Sheffield Steelers (9-3-0) v Belfast Giants (10-4-1) @ Motorpoint Arena. Face-off: 7pm, Erhardt Conference/Elite League

Sheffield Steelers – 4
Mathieu Roy – 1^st
Michael Forney – 1^st
Ben O’Connor – 2^nd
Tyler Mosienko – 3^rd ENG

Belfast Giants – 2
Craig Peacock – 2^nd
Ray Sawada – 2^nd PP

Sheffield host the champions on a Saturday night in the first game of their double header at home

The game got underway and Giants started with some strong possession play in the Sheffield zone but the Steelers defended well and didn’t give them anything and on 1:35 Sheffield took an early lead when Fretter fed Mathieu Roy in front of goal who fired a wrist shot past Carsen Chubak for a 1-0 lead. Belfast got a big chance to level the score when they broke 2v1 and Ray Sawada could only put it against the crossbar and then straight away Steelers broke up the other end 2v1 with Robert Dowd who played to Jonathan Phillips on his left but could only shoot into the body of Chubak, Belfast had the first powerplay of the night when Phil Hill was called for tripping and it was  Sheffield who had the best chance while shorthanded when Forney skated down the right 2v1 and squared the puck to Roy who somehow directed it wide when it looked easier to score and with both teams back to full strength Mosienko found himself on the breakaway but Chubak performed a magnificent glove save to deny the Steelers man. Belfast started came hard finding offence through Kevin Phillips, Sandrock and Cheverie who had the best chances for the visitors but Doyle saved well to keep them out. In the Sheffield zone O’Connor received a bad hit from “Nhler” Kevin Westgarth but the officials turned a blind eye to it but Sheffield skated up the other end and at 17:37 a puck bounced up of Chubak and no one knew where it was but Forney was able to take possession before rifling a wrist shot of the post and in for 2-0 score line and that was how the period ended.

End of the 1st Period: Sheffield Steelers 2–0 Belfast Giants

Shots on Goal: Steelers 12-13 Giants

Belfast started the second period meaning business but Mark Garside took a shot to the wrist and skated off looking in pain but at 21:40 Belfast brought it back within one goal when Doyle was on the floor struggling to get back to his feet and Craig Peacock got the final touch to beat Doyle for a 2-1 score line that seemed to effect Sheffield as they started to live a little dangerous give Giants a few too many chances but at 23:08 Ben O’Connor restored the two goal lead when he skated into the Belfast zone and fired a slap shot over the left shoulder of Chubak for 3-1 to erupt the home faithful again. Sheffield would then have an opportunity on the man advantage and Dowd was denied from just in front and Baldwin and Fretter both were denied, Belfast was soon on the powerplay again and were unlucky not to score another goal when Sandrock saw two of his shots blocked in a row before Westgarth picked up a rebounded puck from Doyle had the whole goal to aim at but Doyle got across goal to deny the Giants big money signing. Kevin Phillips was denied on the breakaway by some fantastic defended by O’Connor and Kohn who got back to help at Doyle and then it was Frank Doyle who made the save of the game when Ray Sawada had the whole goal to aim at and Doyle somehow got his pads on it but Belfast would score again at 35:30 they was on the powerplay and Elfring fired a shot from the blue line and it was Sawada who tipped it past Doyle to bring them within one goal and Sheffield led 3-2 at the end of the 2^nd period.
End of the 2nd Period: Sheffield Steelers 3–2 Belfast Giants

Shots on Goal: Steelers 8–10 Giants

Belfast started the third period on the man advantage after Ben O’Connor was called for tripping after the Steelers Defenceman took his eye of the puck for a second and was caught in possession and brought down the Giants man at the end of the 2^nd but on the penalty kill Sheffield wasn’t being given anything by the officials and Mosienko was tripped up in front of referee Thompson and then received a bad hit and then a laughable tripping was called on Fretter but that one was very quickly evened up as Sawada was put in the box. Both teams were having chances at either end with two really good chances falling to Westgarth firstly in front of goal but wasn’t able to get his shot away and then Forney was denied on the breakaway and then a little later on Westgarth was denied by the glove of Doyle from his right hand side. Belfast were looking for a way to level the scores but Sheffield had some luck versus the champions as the Giant best shot came from Mason who fired one against the post, At 58:40 Belfast pulled Chubak for the extra attacker and with the clock ticking down Hewitt sent the puck down Ice and it was Jonathan Phillips who picked up the puck from behind the goal and he played it to Tyler Mosienko who slotted into the empty net to give the Steelers a 4-2 win time at 59:49.
Shots on Goal: Steelers 10–11 Giants

FINAL SCORE: Sheffield Steelers 4–2 Belfast Giants

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

Sheffield - 2-1-1-0-[12]-{0/3}-30

Belfast    - 0-2-0-0-[6]-{1/6}-34

Sheffield Man of the Match: #1 Frank Doyle
Belfast Man of the Match: #12 Ray Sawada

Sheffield Points Round Up: - 12 Points
Michael Forney (1+0), Mathieu Roy (1+1), Jason Hewitt (0+1), Jay Latulippe (0+1), Rodney Sarich (0+1), Jonathan Phillips (0+1), Tyler Mosienko (1+0), Dustin Kohn (0+2), Colton Fretter (0+1), Ben O’Connor (1+0)

Belfast Points Round Up: - 6 Points

Evan Cheverie (0+1), Ray Sawada (1+0), Kevin Westgarth (0+1), Kevin Saurette (0+1), Calvin Elfring (0+1), Craig Peacock (1+0)

Referee: #27 Mike Hicks

Referee: #6 Matt Thompson

Linesman: #23 Lee Young

Linesman: #38 Danny Beresford

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