Outmuscled Steelers slip again to Giants

Time for the match report from Sunday's return match at the Arena against the Giants.

After losing 3-1 in Northern Ireland on Saturday, Steelers returned to home ice to take on their conquerors and get back to winning ways. However they had to do this without both defenceman Zack Fitzgerald and hot prospect Liam Kirk who were missing for unspecified reasons. Fitzgerald's absence meant that Brady Ramsay made a return to the team, and Matt Marquardt made his House of Steel debut as a Steeler at last. Giants iced the same team that won on Saturday; the only change being that Stephen Murphy started in between the pipes - replacing Saturday's starter Jackson Whistle.

What was apparent from the start, and continued throughout the game, was that Giants played a very physical game which had all the hallmarks of their Head Coach: Adam Keefe. This was proven at 11:04 in the opening period when Cole Jarrett was banished on 2+10 checking to the head penalty on Colton Fretter on the boards just inside the Giants blue line. Andreas Valdix went close a few minutes later when he was all alone in the slot but his effort on goal was pushed aside by a pad save from Murphy. The crowd cheered with delight when referee Stefan Hogarth fell over at 17:56, anyone would have thought there was a hidden sniper in the Arena. It really was comical.

The second period was just as intense, and Steelers had another golden chance at 22:27 on the powerplay as Brendan Connolly sat a hooking minor but Fretter was denied by a Murphy flashing glove. Moments later it was Mustukovs' turn to excel as he denied the speedy Steve Saviano on a shorthanded break. Then it really did start to get feisty following an altercation which saw Connolly back in the box just 21 seconds after leaving it. Hogarth then produced a comical decision to award coincidental minors against Levi Nelson and Giants Ryan Martinelli when it was clear that the Giant had pushed the Steelers #76 into Murphy and held him down in the process. The game's opening goal came at 27:43 and even that had a bit of controversy about as former Steeler Colin Shields batted the puck in from out front which a distinct suspicion of high sticks about it.

Jarrett was lucky to stay on the ice when he boarded Jonas Westerling midway through the second; a decision Hogarth saw as a minor discretion but not one that the majority of the fans inside the Arena agreed with. Steelers were however appalling to put it politely on the man advantage, failing to capitalise on eight opportunities offered to them by Hogarth whilst killing off the Giants ones. It heated up again in the final ten minutes when Goulakos received a 2+10 checking from behind penalty with Fretter again the man targeted. The defenceman got an extra 10 minute misconduct for his troubles too and an early shower as well. Then it really exploded at 53:32 when Fretter was shown a remarkable 5 plus game for slashing when he had every right to go for a loose puck that Murphy hadn't covered properly. The decision, which wasn't made on the play itself, sent Paul Thompson incandescent with rage and obtain a misconduct penalty for the Steelers coach as well as infuriating the crowd.

Murphy was unable to continue, clearly nursing a hand injury of some kind (later confirmed as a dislocated shoulder) and Whistle came in as relief for the final 6 and a bit minutes. Yet Steelers had their best period of pressure whilst defending this major penalty. Whistle knocking the nets off twice in the space of a minute amid uncertainty but Steelers simply couldn't light the lamp and get something out of an ill-tempered game. With Mustukovs pulled in the final seconds for an extra skater, Steelers lost possession inside the neutral zone and Darcy Murphy found the unguarded cage to secure a four point weekend for his side and leave Steelers that empty feeling.

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Steelers 0 Giants 2 

Giants Scoring: Shields 1+0, D Murphy 1+0, Goulakos 0+1, Riley 0+1, Kurtz 0+1.

Shots On Goal: Steelers 29, Giants 25

Powerplay:  Steelers 0 from 8 (0% conversion), Giants 0 from 4 (0% conversion)

Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 53, Giants 58

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 24 + 1 ENG Saves (134), GAA: 1.02 (2.28), Save Percentage 95.80% (92.40%)

Man of the Match: Mark Matheson (Steelers), Colin Shields (Belfast)

Now for some of your thoughts:

Tricky: "Well the passion was there. Atrocious officiating and numerous uncalled dirty Giants play. Sums it up really."

Robin Hindle: "Missed Fitzy to police the game. Bullied and dominated. Referee shocking. Looked tired (understandably). Will bounce back. Not our night."

Nathan: "Garbage."

Simon Rudkin: "Shocking referring shouldn't disguise the fact we were bullied and outplayed for the second night. Worrying lack of toughness with no Fitzy."

Tony Dolby: "Any team who can go 0 for 8 on the PP deserves to lose. We had five good minutes and that was on Frets' major. And as for the ice, 2 points say things are changing at the Arena: 1. That should be top priority, and 2. Briggsy can't take many games like that."

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