Panthers take shootout spoils at Arena

Here's your match report from Saturday night's game against the Panthers.

After enjoying a four point Challenge Cup weekend, Steelers turned their attentions to the bread and butter of the Elite League with a visit from the Nottingham Panthers. Steelers made one change from the team that iced both games last weekend, Mathieu Roy returned to the line-up with Brady Ramsay being the import sacrificed for the King's comeback. Defenceman Davey Phillips was still absent which meant Steelers were still on a five man defence. Panthers were at full strength and had no such injury concerns.

The game sparked into life early doors, Steelers defenceman Zack Fitzgerald taking exception to a late hit by Evan Mosey on Mark Matheson. Fitzgerald then looked to make the GB internationalist accountable for his actions, but the Panther cowered away. However the opening goal wasn't too far off as Steelers scored on their first powerplay of the night at 4:26. Panthers defenceman Yann Sauvé was in the box for tripping, and Tim Wallace ripped another one of his lasers from inside the left circle to the top corner of Michael Garnett's goal. Roy and O'Connor being credited with the assists. Wallace almost doubled his tally and the lead but saw another effort strike the post. Yet Panthers levelled matters with about three and a half minutes left in the period, a superb strike from Robert Farmer tying up the hockey game.

The visitors were on the front foot from the start of the second period, and had Steelers rocking. A bad turnover deep in the Steelers zone eventually saw the puck roll clear, and it was Sauvé again joining the offence to bury the biscuit beyond Mustukovs. At 24:16, the lead was extended further when an absolute howitzer from Tim Billingsley seared into the net. Needing a spark to get them going again, it was predictably Fitzgerald who provided it on a magnificent tilt with Mathieu Gagnon. Gagnon landed some hefty blows, one which temporarily put the Steelers defenceman down but the home favourite roared back to land some blows of his own and cut open the Panthers #75 before the officials stepped in for halt proceedings.

Needing a goal to get back into it, Steelers scored a second at 37:34. A point shot rebounded its way out to Matt Marquardt in the slot and he made no mistake to score his fourth goal in eight games since returning to the line up. A huge third period was needed and the team kept battering away at Garnett's cage until the dam finally collapsed with less than two minutes left. On their seventh powerplay of the night, Sauvé taking a minor seat for boarding, the big guns came up trumps with Roy getting the all important decisive contact to make it 3-3. Both sides had chances to win then but it was to be decided by the dreaded penalty shootout. After Raphael Bussieres and John Armstrong had failed to convert on the first round, Panthers Mark Derlago scored with their second attempt, leaving the stage set for Garnett to deny Andreas Valdix and Wallace with Steelers two remaining efforts and making Mustukovs stop on Shalla immaterial as the visitors took the extra point.

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Steelers 3 Panthers 4 after penalty shots

Steelers Scoring: Roy 1+1, O'Connor 0+2, Wallace 1+0, Marquardt 1+0, Fretter 0+1, Dowd 0+1, Armstrong 0+1.

Panthers Scoring: Billingsley 1+1, Farmer 1+0, Sauvé 1+0, Perlini 0+1, Brown 0+1, Spang 0+1, Mokshantsev 0+1. (Derlago scored in shootout).

Shots On Goal: Steelers 39 Panthers 33 (does not include shootout)

Powerplay: Steelers 2 from 7 (29% conversion), Panthers 0 from 3 (0% conversion)

Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 15 Panthers 23

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 33 Saves (274), GAA: 2.77 (2.70), Save Percentage 90.90% (91.90%)

Man of the Match: Tim Wallace (Steelers), Michael Garnett (Panthers)

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