Steelers conquer the Clan

Welcome to the match report from Friday's road trip to the Braehead Clan.

It was rare Friday night action for the Steelers as they made the trip north of the border to Renfrewshire, and to face the team that are based inside a shopping centre: the Braehead Clan. It was the fourth game of the Andre Deveaux suspension, so injured import and former Clan defenceman Zack Fitzgerald was the one fulfil that role. The game also a debut for Finnish defenceman Miika Franssila, signed on Wednesday. Clan were missing former NHLer Ryan Poultny but otherwise at full strength which meant former Coventry, Dundee and Hull forward Cale Tanaka made his second appearance in purple.

Braehead started positively and had Ervins Mustukovs making saves early doors before Steelers got their skates going and start to test Ryan Nie in the Clan goal. Shortly after the halfway point of the first period, Steelers opened the scoring. Mark "Mad Dog" Matheson with a wrist shot from the blue line, and the puck found its way past Nie to light the lamp at 11:39. It appeared to most that a deflection made the difference. Matheson then nearly doubled his and the Steelers advantage but each time Nie was there to deny the experienced Steelers defenceman. Yet Clan had been in the game and levelled matters at 13:29, the dangerous Tyler Scofield's shot having enough on it to inch over the line despite Mustukovs getting a piece to it. Period one ended level.

The Steelers controlled the second period, outshooting their hosts 21-8. Nie was still busy, likewise when called upon Mustukovs was doing the same. However, it took late in this period for the tie to be broken. At 36:02, Clan's defensive concentration slipped away and at the back post it was Ben O'Connor left all on his own to roof a shot into the top bean past Nie. It was his fifth goal of the season, and third in the league. More pressure came in the third, and it was clearly the Clan netminder was the man who was preventing Steelers from running riot. Christoffer Bjorklund went close though against his old team for Clan but the visitors were always looking dangerous to score a third.

The Steelers got their third, and deservedly too, with less than nine and half minutes left in the game. Matt Marquardt back on the scoresheet at 50:33 with a left wing effort that beat Nie at his near post but top bean. It was the former Coventry man's 10th goal of the season, his 9th in the league. The goal also saw a debut point for Franssila. Clan had to push on and with a minute and half to go; sacrificed Nie for an extra attacker to hopefully net a second and possibly force a tense finish. Yet with 25.9 seconds left on the clock, the game was done and dusted when Jonas Westerling put Mathieu Roy into empty space and the King easily tapped home his third goal in two games. Is this a sign that the King has regained his throne? There was no way back for Braehead after that and the boys celebrated a well polished 4-1 road triumph.

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Clan 1 Steelers 4 

Steelers Scoring: J.Phillips 0+2, Roy 1+0, Matheson 1+0, Marquardt 1+0, O'Connor 1+0, Aarssen 0+1, Valdix 0+1, Franssila 0+1, Dowd 0+1, Westerling 0+1.

Clan Scoring: Scofield 1+0, Shattock 0+1, Brooks 0+1.

Shots On Goal:  Clan 22 Steelers 44

Powerplay: Steelers 0 from 3 (0% conversion), Clan 0 from 4 (0% conversion)

Penalty Minutes called: Clan 6 Steelers 8

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 21 Saves (581), GAA: 1.00 (2.31), Save Percentage 95.50% (91.80%)

Man of the Match: Mark Matheson (Steelers), Ryan Nie (Clan)

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