The story so far: click here: http://frozensteel.proboards.com/thread/206/month-sheffield-steelers-history
DECEMBER 1994 (20 yrs)
The month I have been waiting for since July -- the second coming.
Sheffield Steelers, and their fans, got the best Christmas present when someone rather special signed - Ken "The Messiah" Priestlay.
Steelers had been chasing another Jose Charbonneau, but with the NHL lockout ending he decided not to come. However word spread of a double Stanley Cup player who was seeking to further his career outside the NHL. This person was open to offers and turned down offers in Switzerland in favour of a little-known hockey place called United Kingdom.
So after numerous trans-Atlantic ‘phone calls, one of which awoke Dave Simms at three in the morning, the Priestlay family arrived on Christmas Eve when Steelers were playing Humberside Hawks: drawing 6-6.
As he was suffering from jet lag he decided to have his Christmas dinner with Coach Dampier and then meet his new teammates the day after.
His debut game: Boxing Day 1994
At the Arena, in front of over 6700 fans they crushed the Peterborough Pirates 9-5, Priestlay getting 1 goal 3 assists. (He went on to get another 253 goals and 215 more assists in his time with Sheffield)
His full record http://steelers-stats.co.uk/steelersicerosta.htm
In this game he made three goals for Steve Nemeth in the first 20 minutes and then scored what was to become his trademark goal, speeding through the centre to fire high into the net.
The next game was to be a true taste of British hockey as Steelers finished December off with a close 3-3 draw at Lower Parliament Street, then the home of Nottingham Panthers. In that game Rick Brebant, later to join the Steelers, tore the heart out of Sheffield scoring the game tying goal just before the final hooter.
(now that was Sheffield v Panthers rivalry! )
Ken Murchison, a college kid who Priestlay replaced, finished his 9th, and final, game and said “I’m not going to put myself up alongside him; he’s had a big NHL and AHL career which I can’t compete with”.
He only scored 9 points for Sheffield.
Their record for the month was a tidy 2 wins and 2 draws scoring 22 goals and conceding 14
DECEMBER 1999 (15yrs)
Steelers in Hull buy-out!
Steelers’ owner Darren Brown pulled off a deal to buy ailing British National League ice hockey team Hull Thunder. He agreed a package to refloat the cash starved club. The potential of commercial benefits in pairing Sheffield and Hull persuaded Brown to buy out the contract of the players, the club's name and all other assets.
Dennis Vial was promoted to assistant captain after only two games with Sheffield Steelers. The heavyweight defenceman had impressed Mike Blaisdell with his leadership qualities. He was recruited this month to bolster the defence from IHL team Chicago Wolves. The 242 game NHLer was a great coup for Sheffield.
Scott Allison made a dramatic return to the Steelers from Germany after leaving the previous year. Team manager Dave Simms persistent efforts to persuade the powerhouse winger to come back paid off.
On the ice Sheffield began the month by beating Bracknell Bees by fifteen clear goals down in Berkshire.
The Boxing Day game was a clash with Peterborough Pirates, who they bested by four goals. The day after: they were down in Lower Parliament Street to face the Nottingham Panthers. They were winning 3-2 until a short handed goal by Rick Brebant tied it for the Panthers.
They were more than holding things together in the British Premier this month.
A special mention must go to netminder Martin McKay who turned away 51 shots against Bracknell and Fife, whilst his team put 19 goals away. http://steelers-stats/netminders.htm
They won four of the games that month and tied the other three, scoring 49 goals to 24.
DECEMBER 2004 (10yrs)
Steelers recaptured star centreman Mark Dutiaume, after the 27 year old quit his Italian side Bolzano.
Steeler Dan walked out in protest against Steelers owner Norton Lea. "I will not go inside the stadium again while Norton Lea owns the club” says Dan. This was because the company that owns the production rights and kit for the mascot fell out with the tycoon over sponsorship terms and he has withdrawn his labour.
On the ice:
Their first game was at Basingstoke in the Challenge Cup. They beat the Bison 3-2 to progress to the semi-finals.
In the league they only lost one game, at home to Cardiff, winning four of the rest and drawing with London and in Cardiff.
Their goal tally for the month was 19 for and 15 against.
DECEMBER 2009 (5 YRS)
They were still not doing great on the ice.
Even though they picked up six wins out of nine it was against teams they were expected to beat.
They suffered two reverses at the hands of Nottingham and were defeated by Cardiff and in Edinburgh.
They did, however, put up decent numbers scoring-wise with Andrew Verner (the netminder) only being beaten 32 times.
The record for the month is as follows:
W-6 L-4 Goals 39-32.
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