Match Report: 14.12.2014 - Blaze v Steelers EC/EIHL

Sunday 14^th December 2014 – Coventry Blaze (9-13-1) v Sheffield Steelers (16-5-1) @ SkyDome Arena. Face-off: 5:15pm, Erhardt Conference/Elite League

Coventry Blaze – 2
Steven Goertzen – 2^nd PP
Ryan O’Marra – 2^nd

Sheffield Steelers – 4
Tyler Mosienko – 1^st PP
Robert Dowd – 2^nd
Rodney Sarich – 2^nd
Michael Forney – 2^nd PP

The game got underway and it was the home side who attacked first after O’Connor was hit by Venus behind Doyle’s goal it was the Blaze forward who forced an early glove save out of Doyle and it was a Blaze mistake that almost let in Mosienko for the opening goal but the Steelers man struggled to get his shot away in front of goal. Some inconsistency at the back for the visitors almost became a problem for them as Goertzen tipped just wide from in front of Doyle, but an exchange of passes between Mosienko and Phillips ended with the Blaze netminder making a fantastic save to keep the score level. Sheffield got the first power play of the night when Ross Venus was called for illegal equipment it took 9 seconds for the Steelers to get too work when Mosienko found himself in possession behind the Blaze goal he worked his way to slot in at Stewarts left hand near post at 6:54 to give the Steelers a 1-0 lead. Sheffield was having a very dominant session as Blaze just couldn’t get the puck off them. With 10 minutes left in the 1^st Tendler almost found a way back into the game when he caught out Eddy in possession with the puck but Eddy had help in the shape of his captain and Tendler couldn’t win the puck back. Both teams would have an effort on the man advantage but good goaltending ended the period as 1-0 lead for Sheffield.

End of the 1st Period: Coventry Blaze 0–1 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Blaze 8-20 Steelers

Sheffield started the second period on the powerplay and before you know it the Blaze had a 5 on 3 powerplay chance and made it count at 22:20 when Doyle couldn’t get a shot covered up and smart play by Goertzen when the Coventry forward jumped on the loose puck and scored on the backhand to level the score at 1-1. There was some physical play by both teams and it was turning into a tasty encounter with plenty of shots on goals and both netminders making some great save but Blaze took the lead at 31:46 when Ross Venus has the puck behind the Steelers goal and he picks out Ryan O’Marra who fires a sweet wrist shot past the stick of Doyle to give the Blaze a 2-1 lead. It didn’t last for long when Sheffield would soon level the game at 2-2 on 33:49 when Forney received the puck from Phillips and skated down the left around a Blaze defender but he saw his shot saved by Stewart from in front and Dowd jumped on the rebound and lifted it over Stewart, then Fretter had the chance to take the lead but saw his shot impressively saved but it was very soon 3-2 to the Steelers on 35:04 after O’Connor fired a snapshot from the blue line and Sarich managed to get the tip on it to send it past Stewart, It was overshadowed by a bad hit by Cescon on Dowd against the boards but the Sheffield man made it back to the bench and was able to continue but Cescon received 2+10 for his troubles. Sheffield went on the powerplay with 4 minutes left in the second and on 36:40 it was 4-2 to the visitors when some hard work by Roy and Fretter they had Stewart beaten on the Ice and Forney slotted the puck in at the back door. Coventry were looking for a way back into the game but Tanaka couldn’t get his shot through the legs of Doyle and the home side were going into the break 4-2 down.
End of the 2nd Period: Coventry Blaze 2–4 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Blaze 17–16 Steelers

Third period started and with an exchange in power plays neither team could get any more goals on the boards and there was a lot of neutral zone hockey with both netminders making good saves when called upon. Steelers pressed up high to try and find another goal but had to stop when Coventry started to come looking for a way back into the game and went close several times as Doyle made a leg save when a shot came back of the backboards before Venus was denied from close range. Phillips caught Stewart in the mask from the point and the Blaze netminder had to take a minute to make a repair. With the clock ticking down Coventry pulled Stewart with over two minutes left in an attempt to get back in the game and Sheffield had a glorious chance to finish of the game as Hill went down the right and decided to be a playmaker instead of going for glory and Hay fired a powerful snapshot wide and around the boards. Blaze came again though and got Sheffield camped in their zone but Doyle stood tall and Sheffield held on for the win and the four point weekend to stand at the top of the league by a point.
Shots on Goal: Blaze 10–7 Steelers

FINAL SCORE: Coventry Blaze 2–4 Sheffield Steelers

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

Coventry - 0-2-0-0-[22]-{1/5}-35

Sheffield - 1-3-0-0-[12]-{2/5}-43

Coventry Man of the Match: #22 Ryan O’Marra
Sheffield Man of the Match: #14 Michael Forney

Coventry Points Round Up: - 5 Points
Rory Rawlyk (0+1), Steven Goertzen (1+0), Ryan O’Marra (1+0), Jereme Tendler (0+1), Ross Venus (0+1)

Sheffield Points Round Up: - 12 Points

Cullen Eddy (0+1), Michael Forney (1+2), Mathieu Roy (0+1), Rodney Sarich (1+0), Jonathan Phillips (0+2), Tyler Mosienko (1+0), Dustin Kohn (0+1), Robert Dowd (1+0), Ben O’Connor (0+1)

Referee: #26 Dean Smith

Referee:

Linesman: #25 Andy Dalton

Linesman: #11 Matt Rose

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