Super Steelers shutout the Champions

Welcome to the match report from Saturday's home game against the Cardiff Devils.

Having picked maximum points from their last two games, Steelers headed into a huge home clash with the current league champions Cardiff Devils hoping to acquire their first inter-conference points of the season. The team showed one change from the wins at Dundee and Edinburgh, Mathieu Roy returning at the expense of Brady Ramsay. New signing Andre Deveaux took part in warm up but did not ice; yet received a very warm welcome when introduced to the crowd prior to face-off. Devils gave a debut to Tyson Strachan but were missing Mark Richardson, Patrick Asselin, Joey Haddad and Justin Faryna.

Steelers started with intensity, forcing the champions on the back foot with the confidence of a team who had played two excellent road games recently. However Devils still looked dangerous at times when they fashioned opportunities of their own. Both goalies were tested early, and it was apparent that either a horrific mistake or a flash of brilliance would break the tie. As it transpired it was the former, and a goal that current GB number one Ben Bowns won't want to see again in a hurry. With Andreas Jämtin sitting a hooking minor, Bowns tried to play the puck out and mount another attack when he failed to spot John Armstrong lurking close by. The Steelers centre robbed him of the puck, then spotted line mate Colton Fretter anticipating the play, and set up the latter to fire into the empty net despite a desperate scramble back by the netminder.

The lead was deservedly doubled 72 seconds before the end of the period, and again we think Bowns would want to have this one back too. Fretter's shot on goal getting a decisive touch from the in-form Matt Marquardt out front and the puck squirted through Bowns' five hole for 2-0. It was no more than the team warranted having given their opponent not a moment's peace and quiet. Second period was a bit of a penalty strewn affair but Steelers were still on top and Devils looking disjointed with the absence of some important players being felt. However with just two and a half minutes left in this period, Steelers added a third. More pressure on the Cardiff defence from Roy and Tim Wallace saw the puck squirt free and Jämtin reacted well to backhand his first home goal of the season past Bowns.

Steelers were proving a solid barrier in front of Mustukovs especially on the penalty kill, successfully seeing off a 5 on 3 either side of the start of the third period whilst referee Jan Schmejkal wasn't adhering himself well with some weird decisions: a harsh tripping call on Mark Matheson being just one. However on their fourth powerplay opportunity, Steelers made it count and sealed the game with a fourth goal. Matheson's effort caromed off the boards, and the impressive Marquardt reacted splendidly to divert the rebounding puck in mid-air to the roof of the net for his fifth goal in his last four games. Devils were a well beaten side by then and never looked like getting back into the game; the home side ensuring Mustukovs got his well earned shutout with ease whilst Zack Fitzgerald went close to adding a fifth but saw his shot rebound off the bar with Bowns beaten.

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Steelers 4 Devils 0

Steelers Scoring: Marquardt 2+0, Fretter 1+1, Armstrong 0+2, Jämtin 1+0, Roy 0+1, Wallace 0+1, Matheson 0+1, Nelson 0+1.

Devils Scoring: Er, nobody.

Shots On Goal:  Steelers 33 Devils 24

Powerplay: Steelers 1 from 5 (20% conversion), Devils 0 from 6 (0% conversion)

Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 12 Devils 10

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 24 Saves (332), GAA: 0.00 (2.27), Save Percentage 100% (92.50%)

Man of the Match: Matt Marquardt (Steelers), Andrew Hotham (Devils)

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