Welcome to our match report from Saturday's game against the Panthers.
Steelers headed into game one of a home double header weekend with a lot of confidence in their ranks, they had won seven out of seven in their last home games so fancied their chances to make it eight against a Panthers side that has fallen away dramatically. The team news for Paul Thompson's men was again as you were, but with the addition of Kieran Brown for the first time since November. Panthers were missing Evan Mosey and Dan Spang saw Eric Lindhagen filled in on defence whilst Michael Garnett was given the start in the net ahead of Patrick Galbraith.
The short benched visitors took the lead early doors, great work from Raphael Bussieres and Jeff Brown down low saw the latter feed Ollie Betteridge who the Steelers had left all alone and the forward made no mistake. But it was a case of a right back at you as the Steelers equalised 24 seconds later at 2:16, Mark Matheson sent Liam Kirk down the left wing and he wristed an effort into Garnett's cage for his 7th of the season and third in as many games. Yet Panthers were winning a number of key battles, and performing much better than their previous visit so it came as no surprise that they ended the first period ahead. A shot from Lindhagen caromed off the back board and as Joonas Ronnberg planned to clear; the clearance hit Ervins Mustukovs and left Brown with a simple finish. Steelers cause was not helped further when defenceman Miika Franssila was left prone following a hit from Sauve, the Finn taking no further part in the game and Zack Fitzgerald then dropping back to a more familiar defensive slot.
Panthers had not allowed Steelers to get into any fluent rhythm and deservedly took a 3-1 less than six minutes into the second period. The puck was worked back to Zack Phillips at the right circle and the former NHL first round draft pick's one timer found the net. Steelers needed a way back into the game, and Panthers provided with it thanks to an horrendous line change which left Matt Marquardt with room on the right and he arrowed home a low shot that beat Garnett for the power forward's 21st of the season. Just after the half hour, the teams were level. With Tim Billingsley off for cross checking and Luke Pither for slashing, Steelers worked the puck around and Mathieu Roy supplied a delicious pass across the crease for Jonas Westerling to have an easy finish of his own for his 4th of the campaign.
Buoyed by this comeback, Steelers took the lead at 34:58 when Andreas Valdix dispossessed Robert Lachowicz in the Steelers defensive zone then skated down the wing before unwinding a shot that defeated Garnett for the Swede's 11th of the season. It also spelled the end of the night for Garnett, who hadn't had the best of evening's work, as he was replaced by the Dane Galbraith - cutting off a sorrowful figure as he made his way to the bench .
It was all to play for the final period, and Steelers almost extended their lead to 5-3 but Levi Nelson managed to hit the post instead of lighting the lamp. Panthers were still looking dangerous themselves as they sought an equalising strike, and with about six and a half minutes left in the game they got it. Scott Aarssen was in the box, serving an interference minor, and it was the ever impressive Russian Alexander Mokshantsev who nudged the puck home. Could either side get a regulation time winner? Valdix shot wide with 2:30 left and then came a pivotal penalty call against Billingsley for holding and it appeared marginal. Steelers launched a series of rushes, and in the final seconds the inspirational Matheson picked the pick up behind his own goal, skated up ice then played a pass out to Marquardt who returned the pass back to the defenceman who managed to get it over Galbraith and send the majority of the 8563 crowd delirious with just five seconds left. Steelers had won it in dramatic fashion.
Time for the statistics:
Goals: Steelers 5 Panthers 4
Steelers Scoring: Matheson 1+2, Marquardt 1+1, Valdix 1+0, Kirk 1+0, Westerling 1+0, Aarssen 0+1, Roy 0+1, Shudra 0+1, Fitzgerald 0+1, Neiley 0+1.
Panthers Scoring: Brown 1+2, Phillips 1+0, Mokshantsev 1+0, Betteridge 1+0, Lachowicz 0+1, Farmer 0+1, Sauvé 0+1, Bussieres 0+1.
Shots On Goal: Steelers 26 Panthers 25
Powerplay: Steelers 2 from 6 (33% conversion), Panthers 1 from 2 (50% conversion)
Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 4 Panthers 12
Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 21 Saves (987), GAA: 4.00 (2.26), Save Percentage: 84.00% (92.10%).
Man of the Match: Mark Matheson (Steelers), Jeff Brown (Panthers)
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