Match Report: 24.1.2015 - Steelers v Blaze EC/EIHL

Saturday 24^th January 2015 – Sheffield Steelers (20-9-4) v Coventry Blaze (12-22-1) @ Motorpoint Arena. Face-off: 7pm, Erhardt Conference/Elite League

Sheffield Steelers – 2
Cullen Eddy – 1^st PP
Jeff Legue – 3^rd

Coventry Blaze – 1
Jereme Tendler – 1^st

Josh Unice and Tomas Petruska were both at the arena and was both making their debuts and the lines were shaken up slightly, Legue was promoted to play with Dowd and Mosienko, Petruska was thrown on with Forney and Roy straight away and Phillips was back with Hill and Hewitt. It was a good start for the Steelers who were looking to get the puck on net and new signing Josh Unice looked stronger as Blaze were looking to score on the doorstep but the former USA U20 goaltender got the puck covered. It was Coventry who took the lead though at 2:15 when former Steeler Goertzen played in Jereme Tendler down the left, who got his shot off and it looked like Unice had it in his glove but it bounced over him and trickled over the line for a 1-0 lead. Sheffield worked hard and would get there equaliser before the end of the session when at 16:21 Sheffield found themselves on the powerplay and the puck landed on the tape of Cullen Eddy who fired a wicked slap shot that travelled through traffic and into the net and we was tied at 1-1 and that’s how the period finished.

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

Shots on Goal: Steelers 9-8 Blaze

It was a goalless second period but a session dominated by the home side both team wasted powerplay opportunities one was a 5 on 3 for the Steelers but Stewart was just outstanding. Josh Unice made his save off the night when #48 skates his way through the Steelers so he was one on one with the Steelers debutant and Unice saved brilliantly with the body to keep the scores level. Brian Stewart was just simply outstanding though for the Blaze has he saved several great chances where it looked certain Sheffield would score but at the end of the second session both teams would go into the dressings rooms all square.
End of the 2nd Period: Sheffield Steelers 1–1 Coventry Blaze

Shots on Goal: Steelers 15–5 Blaze

Third period was again dominated by the home side as they had chance after chance out-shooting the visitors 14-2. There was lots of physicality in this game as the Steelers just seem to throw hit after hit and it was side to their game that Sheffield fans had been calling out for weeks. With the clocking ticking down and Brian Stewart just seemed to be saving absolutely everything a save off a short from Forney had a face-off in the Blaze zone with 9 seconds left and the Steelers made it count with just three seconds left on the clock with a goal timed at 59:57 the Steelers moved the puck quickly and it was Legue who was able to get the decisive touch that beat Stewart and it secured a 2-1 win for the Steelers. A massive win for the home side after such poor form, but Blaze defended fantastically but after the Legue goal Brian Stewart who had been brilliant all night lost his cool and seemed to have a big tantrum at his team mates and the officials. However it was two valuable points for the Steelers and next up for them was a trip to Cardiff 24 hours later.
Shots on Goal: Steelers 14–2 Blaze

FINAL SCORE: Sheffield Steelers 2–1 Coventry Blaze

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

Sheffield   - 1-0-1-0-[4]-{1/5}-38

Coventry  - 1-0-0-0-[10]-{0/2}-15

Sheffield Man of the Match: #12 Jeff Legue
Coventry Man of the Match: #41 Brian Stewart

Sheffield Points Round Up: - 6 Points
Cullen Eddy (1+0), Jeff Legue (1+0), Mathieu Roy (0+1), Tyler Mosienko (0+1), Ben O’Connor (0+2)

Coventry Points Round Up: - 2 Points

Steven Goertzen (0+1), Jereme Tendler (1+0)

Referee: #26 Dean Smith

Referee: #14 James Kavanagh

Linesman: #22 Paul Staniforth

Linesman: #23 Lee Young

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