Steelers suffer a Clan collapse

Welcome to our match report from Saturday's away game at Braehead Clan.

Steelers only had a single game to play this weekend due to the 2018 Challenge Cup Final taking place on the Sunday. The fixture saw the team travel to the West of Scotland to face an underperforming Braehead Clan for the final time in regular season action. It was also the chance for the team to complete a clean sweep over John Tripp's men. Team news saw the Steelers welcome back key British forward Robert Dowd after a spell out injured which left Jonas Westerling and John Armstrong as the Club's only injured players whilst Kieran Brown was on NIHL duty with Blackburn. Clan didn't have a larger bench as the Steelers but featured former Steelers Christoffer Bjorklund and Matt Haywood in their line-up.

Apologies for the short write-up in advance by the way, we've based on what we could get from any social media interaction we could obtain...

The first period was a scoreless affair, but Steelers were keeping Ryan Nie in the home cage busy as they had 14 shots on him whilst Ervins Mustukovs faced 10 from the Clan offence in opposition. That first goal was as always going to prove crucial and it was the Clan who managed it with defenceman Landon Oslanski lighting the lamp just before the 29 minute mark in the game. Steelers were still outshooting the Clan but fell further behind at 30:39 when Clan player-assistant coach Brendan Brooks netted from close range. An uphill faced Paul Thompson's men but they were given a lifeline at 34:36 when Miika Franssila scored his third goal of the season after some excellent work Captain Fantastic Jonathan Phillips.

One goal in it as the teams entered a third period, could the Steelers come back and take the points away from Renfrewshire? Two goals in the early stages of this period made it still possible but alas for the Steelers; these were shared. Big defenceman Craig Cescon put the Clan 3-1 to the good at 43:37 but 53 seconds saw it reduced to a one goal game again when Ben O'Connor and Davey Phillips combined to set up Eric Neiley for the American's 6th of the season. Was there to be final twist? The answer eventually proved to be no as Clan scored twice in the 63 seconds, both within 16 seconds of each other. Former Belfast Giant Craig Peacock scored number four and then with Mustukovs sacrificed, Adam Brace slotted the insurance goal into the vacant cage. Two points which the team should have, squandered and a tale of the season again left laid bare.

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Clan 5 Steelers 2

Steelers Scoring: Franssila 1+0, Neiley 1+0, D.Phillips 0+1, J.Phillips 0+1, O'Connor 0+1.

Clan Scoring: Cescon 1+2, Brace 1+1, Oslanski 1+0, Brooks 1+0, Peacock 1+0, Haywood 0+1, Hämäläinen 0+1, Doty 0+1, Nie 0+1. 

Shots On Goal:  Steelers 42 Clan 30 

Powerplay: Steelers 0 from 3 (0% conversion), Clan 0 from 6 (0% conversion)

Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 14 Clan 8

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 25 Saves (1227), GAA: 4.06 (2.35), Save Percentage: 86.20% (91.70%).

Man of the Match: Ben O'Connor (Steelers), Craig Cescon (Clan)

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Big Match Preview: Braehead (Away)

Welcome to our latest Sheffield Steelers match preview.

Tomorrow night, Saturday, sees the Steelers travel North of the Border to play their only game of the weekend. Yes, the Steelers have just a single game to play. They travel to the West Coast of Scotland to face the following:

Yes it's the Purple Army, the Braehead Clan. Despite the inclement weather this week, Clan have confirmed that the game will go ahead. It also Steelers the chance to complete a clean sweep over their hosts as they won every single game this season against a Clan roster that has underachieved massively this season compared to some seasons beforehand.

John Tripp's men lie in that all-important 8th place in the league standings, which if they somehow hold onto will see them into the post-season play off quarter-finals. However, Coventry and Dundee are both close by to take advantage of the Clan potentially slipping up. Steelers will be looking for a win themselves to finish as high as possible in the final standings; third placed Belfast are only three points ahead of Paul Thompson's team who also have a match in hand on the Northern Irish side. It could be an intriguing duel ahead in Renfrewshire.

My prediction? Steelers to continue their good form over the Clan this season, a 5-2 away sounds good. How do you see it unfolding?

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Steelers sleigh Clan with a shutout

Welcome to the match report from the Steelers game against the Braehead Clan.

Steelers headed into the final game before Christmas on the back of a 6-1 Challenge Cup quarter final win over the Dundee Stars. It was a chance for the team to impress before back to back Christmas games against the Panthers. Team news saw the Steelers at full strength bar Kieran Brown which meant that both Scott Aarssen and Zack Fitzgerald faced their old club. Clan featured former Steelers defenceman Christoffer Björklund, but were missing forwards Cale Tanaka, Tyler Shattock and former NHLer Ryan Poultny who impressed well in his last visit to the Arena in October.

After a delay due to power outage the home team created a very early chance, Swedish forward Andreas Jämtin causing Ryan Nie in the Clan goal to hold on after just 11 seconds of play. Paul Thompson also juggled up the lines with Liam Kirk partnering Colton Fretter and Mathieu Roy on the top line, the usual second line combination, John Armstrong onto the third with Matt Marquardt and Jämtin, and Tim Wallace moved to the fourth alongside captain Jonathan Phillips and Jonas Westerling. Clan were given a powerplay just over five minutes in when Andreas Valdix seemed to be harshly called for goaltender interference but the Steelers penalty kill has been one of their strengths, and saw off the man advantage.

Braehead continued to press, and forced Ervins Mustukovs into a series of saves midway through the opening twenty before Steelers came back into it at the end. However, the teams remained scoreless with Clan edging it the game via shots on goal. We didn’t have to wait for a goal in the middle period though as Steelers got themselves on the board at 21:38. Good work from Armstrong set up Marquardt to score his 14^th of the season from the high slot with Jämtin providing a good screen in front of Nie. That 14^th goal for Marquardt matched his tally with Coventry last season. Despite this, and plenty of other chances Steelers held that slender margin going into the final period.

The dominance continued in the third and you just knew it was coming. Mathieu Roy with a nice pass to his faithful sidekick Colton Fretter who made the Clan look absolutely daft before dispatching beyond Nie for 2-0 and a bit of breathing space. It was Colton’s 13^th of the season. Apart from that opening period, Clan been second best for the second and third period and captain Ville Hämäläinen took a nasty knock towards the end of the game which is bound to concern coach John Tripp in what has been a very short-benched Clan roster all season so far. With 1:48 left to play, Clan gambled and risked Nie for an extra attacker. It was prone to leave them exposed, and they almost conceded a third when Tim Wallace (a player in need of goals) missed the empty cage from near on the half board next to the Clan bench. A few moments later, the clincher arrived. Clan turned the puck over after that Wallace effort, and the King Of Sheffield swooped on it before doing a nice wraparound finish into the unprotected goal: Mathieu’s 13^th of the season. Game done and dusted, now for the Panthers!

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Steelers 3 Clan 0 

Steelers Scoring: Roy 1+1, Marquardt 1+0, Fretter 1+0, Matheson 0+1, Armstrong 0+1.

Clan Scoring: Nobody!

Shots On Goal:  Steelers 39 Clan 23

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

Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 6 Clan 8

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 23 Saves (674), GAA: 0.00 (2.30), Save Percentage: 100.00% (91.70%).

Man of the Match: Ervins Mustukovs (Steelers), Ryan Nie (Clan)

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Big Match Preview: Braehead (Home)

Welcome to the preview of the next Steelers game.

There's only one game for the team this week, and that happens on Saturday night in the House Of Steel. Making the trip south of the border are the following team:

Yes it's the purple army, the Braehead Clan. Therefore we hope to see a great deal of our purple friends in the building. Games between both teams are usually entertaining and at times, close, so we could be in for a game and a half if previous encounters have anything to go by. This season has seen the sides feature against each other four times already, as they were grouped together in the same Challenge Cup qualifying group, and it's the Steelers who hold the upper hand with a win each time. In the same games, Steelers have scored 16 times compared to the Clan's 5. But that means nothing as Braehead certainly have the ability to inflict more league misery upon us.

A win for the Steelers would improve confidence in the ranks after a blank weekend last, whilst a win for the Clan could see them improve their own league standing and if results go against the Steelers - the home side could easily be lying in 7th place by the time they take on the Panthers in the Christmas double header games.

My prediction? Steelers to get back to winning ways in the league and to continue their dominance over the Clan this season: I'll take them to win it 5-2. How about you?

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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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