Welcome to our match report from last night's trip to Guildford.
Having shut out old rivals Nottingham on the Saturday night, Steelers travelled south to Surrey for their second visit to the Spectrum: the home of the Guildford Flames. As expected Zack Fitzgerald was ruled out after the boarding incident which involved Panthers captain Stephen Lee. The American blueliner joined Miika Franssila, Colton Fretter, Robert Dowd and John Armstrong on the Steelers injury list. Flames had a full complement of 14 imports to ice which included former Steeler Geoff Walker. They also iced Kevin Phillips, brother of Steelers' very own Davey.
Both sides started well, forcing the respective netminders into a series of saves. However, the scores looked destined to be goalless as the game headed towards the final minute of the period but the deadlock was broken at 18:56. And it was the Flames who scored it. Rhett Rachinski was the man who lit the lamp, turning home a loose puck after it had been deflected into his path.
Steelers came out in the second period more determined and forced Chris Carrozzi in the home goal into a few early saves. It was therefore no surprise that they levelled the game six minutes into the period. Ever impressive defenceman Mark Matheson put the puck on net and it was Matt Marquardt who got the decisive touch to send it past Carrozzi for his 22nd of the season. Referees Darnell and Rose consulted GLT before giving it but it was declared good and the teams were back on parity. The teams then traded chances and Steelers were struggling to get their powerplay going, which all ended up with the middle part of the game showing 1-1 and all to play for in the third period.
Guildford regained the lead five and a half minutes into that final period. Ian Watters being the man on target with a well executed backhand effort past Ervins Mustukovs. Steelers had to haul it back again and with just over eight minutes left, did so. Ben O'Connor had an effort blocked, and after Carrozzi had saved the follow up from Tim Wallace: there was nothing he could do to deny Levi Nelson his 17th of the season. But Flames refused to buckle and were back in the lead at 54:29, John Dunbar skated down the wing before supplying Watters and the forward notched his second of the night. Once more Steelers had to find an equaliser but this time Carrozzi was firmly shutting the door on them. With Mustukovs sacrificed for an extra skater, the push continued but it was Guildford who secured the points inside the final minute: Watters completing his hat-trick and the result was enough to send the home side back into 5th place and the Steelers back down to 6th.
Time for the statistics:
Goals: Flames 4 Steelers 2
Steelers Scoring: Marquardt 1+0, Nelson 1+0, Valdix 0+1, Wallace 0+1, Matheson 0+1, O'Connor 0+1.
Flames Scoring: Watters 3+0, Reddick 0+2, Dunbar 0+2, Rachinski 1+0, Yadlowski 0+1, Ackered 0+1, Craige 0+1.
Shots On Goal: Steelers 30 Flames 32
Powerplay: Steelers 1 from 5 (20% conversion), Flames 0 from 2 (0% conversion)
Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 4 Flames 20
Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 28 Saves (1077), GAA: 3.02 (2.34), Save Percentage: 90.30% (91.90%).
Man of the Match: Matt Marquardt (Steelers), Ian Watters (Flames)
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