Steelers slip to another Conference loss

Welcome to your match report from Sunday's home game against the Belfast Giants.

After a 4-1 road win at Braehead on Friday, Steelers were back in action on the Sunday as they hosted Erhardt Conference rival Belfast Giants at the House Of Steel. The side showed a couple of changes from the team that won in Braehead, Liam Kirk and Cole Shudra were on GB Under 20 international duty which meant a minor reshuffle of the fourth forward line. Miika Franssila made a home debut, whilst Zack Fitzgerald's injury absence once again covered the Andre Deveaux suspension. Giants were without the suspended Spiro Goulakos, and the injured John Kurtz and Dustin Johner. Veteran and former Steeler Ashley Tait played the second game of his two game deal, whilst Jeff Mason and local Stephen Eccles made up the roster.

Fresh from their 6-4 win in Manchester 24 hours previously, Belfast started the game with the same vigour and intensity that had seen them hold a 100 per cent winning record against the Steelers this season. They almost took an early lead when Brendan Connolly found himself in space but thankfully for the home side, Ervins Mustukovs was in the right place to deny the forward who accidentally collided with the goal post in the aftermath. It was a scrappy opening ten minutes with both teams trying to find each other out, but you felt Giants were the ones who were edging it on clear cut chances created. At 10:40 though the deadlock was broken, Steelers were caught out and who else but Colin Shields was given time and space to wind up an effort that found its way through Mustukovs' blocker to light the lamp.

The niggly game continued with Giants captain Blair Riley and Steelers Swede Andreas Jämtin being assessed coincidental minors; the Steeler being called for apparent embellishment by referee Tom Darnell which looked very harsh. Yet Darnell levelled the issue within a minute, calling Connolly also for embellishment and on the resultant delayed penalty Colton Fretter took a feed from Scott Aarssen to fire past Jackson Whistle in the opposing goal for his 11th of the season and the equaliser. Steelers gained heart from this and should have ended the first period in front, Mathieu Roy rippling the side netting and then Robert Dowd striking the post from an angle when it looked he was certain to score.

Giants got their intensity going again in the second, Sebastian Sylvestre firing over the top when well placed in the slot as the Steelers defence again parted. It was a shot shy period with a total of just thirteen shots being mustered by the two teams but Giants managed to make one of their seven count. Again they forced the Steelers back, and just as the home side thought they had quelled the raid: the puck managed to pop out to Connolly left alone in the middle of the slot and he made no mistake with a good finish past Mustukovs. Steelers had to chase again, and almost pulled it back level thanks to a solo effort from Fretter but Giants held sway. This obviously put Steelers liable to be countered, and so it proved as Giants scored a third with just over eight minutes left: Darcy Murphy was given space to skate in on Mustukovs, and he put the Latvian as if he was on the last plane out to Riga with a move that sold the netminder before tucking the puck into the empty net. Steelers really were behind the eight ball after this but gave themselves a lifeline with just over five minutes to go; Dowd with a low shot across Whistle for 2-3 and the GB winger's 14th of the season. The home side went looking for an equaliser but even a late 6 on 4 with Mustukovs pulled could not produce it, and they slipped to yet another Conference loss and more unhappiness from their fans at the final buzzer.

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Steelers 2 Giants 3 

Steelers Scoring: Fretter 1+0, Dowd 1+0, Aarssen 0+1, Matheson 0+1.

Giants Scoring: Sylvestre 0+2, D.Murphy 1+0, Shields 1+0, Connolly 1+0, Vandermeer 0+1, Riley 0+1, Rutherford 0+1.

Shots On Goal:  Steelers 23 Giants 27

Powerplay: Steelers 0 from 5 (0% conversion), Giants 0 from 3 (0% conversion)

Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 10 Giants 14

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 24 Saves (605), GAA: 3.08 (2.34), Save Percentage 88.90% (91.70%)

Man of the Match: Colton Fretter (Steelers), Jackson Whistle (Giants)

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