Steeldogs Spotlight 2nd March

Thank you to Roger Williams and Jake Oakley for their contribution to FSB, All Credit for this piece goes to them so any queries you can contact them on Twitter @SnapperJakeO and @ElGordoSteel

Steeldogs 5 Bracknell Bees 1

Steeldogs bounce back against Bees

The Bradfield Brewery Sheffield Steeldogs returned to iceSheffield on Sunday 1st March hoping to gain the valuable points in their quest for 7th place in the league. Their opponents were basement club the Bracknell Bees. The Steeldogs were missing Callum Pattison (serving suspension) from the line-up. The starting net minders were Sedlar and Mettam.

Both teams wanted to get off to a good start in this game, the Steeldogs coming out the quicker of the two teams. The Bees gave up the first penalty of the game as Strycek sat for tripping, Ozolins dangled and beat Mettam for a power play opener at 7.12. The home team looked to show their authority in this first 20 minutes and kept the puck well, skated with confidence and worked as a team to keep the Bees away from Sedlar as much as possible. With Bees on the man advantage, Sedlar threw a quick glove to deny Antonov. Then came the first incident of the game. Hubacek and Duncombe had a tangle and the Czech took offence and slashed The Dogs defenceman. This led to both dropping the gloves and a brief exchange of fists. With them both sat down, Galazzi and Payette found themselves in the face- off circle and as soon as the puck dropped, so did their gloves. These two had more of a scrap with good punches thrown.

The 2nd period started with the combatants in the box and the game settled into a pattern of trading forays forward into the offensive zones but not always getting the shot off to test the net minders. On 39.03 some determined skating from Tom Squires opened up a shooting lane and although his shot wasn't powerful it squeaked through Mettam's defences to give Sheffield a 2-0 lead. As the clock ran down, Haywood and Hubacek got caught up in the corner and there was a small gathering to exchange opinions. Duncombe stepped in to support his defensive partner and was judged to be 3rd man in, so was given a game penalty. Both Haywood and Hubacek received roughing calls.

The 3rd period got underway and a more determined Bees team came at the Steeldogs from the off. The visitors had chances on Sedlar’s goal, but the Czech keeper was up to the task and kept them off the scoreboard until the Dogs lost the puck in the Bees zone; Towalski broke away, shrugging off the attentions of Morgan and roofed the puck past Sedlar at 47.38. With the Bees rallying the Steeldogs needed a goal to stop their momentum and when Mettam parried a Haywood blast, Tom Squires took two attempts to make it 3-1. The Steeldogs had Mettam’s goal in their sights now and Andy Hirst made it certain with goal number 4 on a night when he hadn't otherwise had much good luck. The Bees looked keen for the final buzzer but Ashley Calvert scored number 5 to rub salt into their wounds.

The game finished with a 5-1 home win and a confidence booster for the Steeldogs. The Man of the Match awards went to Harvey Stead of Bracknell and Tom Squires of Sheffield.

Our next home game is on Sunday 15th March, it’s going to be a KIDS GO FREE game. It will be our last league home game of the season, so let’s fill the Pound and cheer the team on their way to the Play Offs.‪#‎OperationCoventry2015

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