From The Editor's Chair - Edition 53

Welcome everyone to the view "From The Editor's Chair". In this particular edition, Mark looks at each of the quarter-finals. It's time for play-off hockey everybody. 

Cardiff Devils (1) v Coventry Blaze (8): For me this is the most clear cut of the match-ups and I don't think many will disagree. Whilst the Blaze, who squeaked into the final eight because of the Clan's inadequacies, have a tendency to give the Devils a game and a bit: they lack the firepower to deny the Devils a place in the final four. Devils will ultimately be too strong and should secure their place with ease.

Key Players: Joey Martin (Devils), Jordan Pietrus (Blaze)

Manchester Storm (2) v Fife Flyers (7): Storm have had an excellent season, their first under the coaching of former Steelers and Clan Head Coach Ryan Finnerty. They have ability in all areas and can play with an edge as well beat you with skill. Fife have had an equally good season themselves but if Andy Iles is still unfit then that will make Storm's chances greater as much as Jordan Marr has been a capable enough deputy.

Key Players: Mike Hammond (Storm), Chase Schaber - should Iles be unfit to play (Flyers)

Sheffield Steelers (3) v Guildford Flames (6): Steelers go into the defence of their play-off trophy in good form indeed, having won their last four games. They will have the luxury of possibly being able to sit two imports and in Eric Neiley, have a man playing red hot. Flames have acquitted themselves well in their debut EIHL season, and if they can keep leg one close then will fancy their chances for an upset. But Steelers should do it.

Key Players: Eric Neiley (Steelers), Brian Stewart (Flames)

Nottingham Panthers (4) v Belfast Giants (5): After losing their way from December onwards, Panthers have started to perform especially when news broke that this would be Corey Neilson and David Clarke's final season apiece. And in play-off hockey they're usually pretty good too. Giants can blow hot and cold too but do have enough about them to ensure there is no fairy tale finish. This one could easily go either way, too close to call.

Key Players: Alexander Mokshantsev (Panthers), Sèbastian Sylvestre (Giants)

How do you see them unfolding?

Mark

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Day shines as Steelers gatecrash Devils party night

Welcome to our match report from last night's game at Cardiff.

After suffering their second successive loss at home to Nottingham on the Saturday night, Steelers headed back down the motorway to play newly crowned back-to-back Elite League Champions Cardiff for the second time in the space of four days. It was a sell out crowd in Ice Arena Wales as the Devils were to be presented with the Monteith Bowl at the end of the game. Steelers showed two changes from the side that lost to the Panthers, defenceman Davey Phillips was out after suffering a nasty knock in the 3-2 loss and Brad Day started between the pipes. Whether this was related to Day's performance four days previous or Steelers were resting regular starter Ervins Mustukovs is unknown but the Huddersfield-born netminder was the starter in South Wales. Cardiff were at full strength bar long-term injured Brit Craig Moore.

Steelers started the game like the proverbial house on fire, and continued in the same vein as they had 24 hours previously: that is outshooting their opponent comfortably. It said it all when the shot count at the end of the first period showed a staggering 19-3 in the Steelers favour. However, unlike Saturday, Steelers actually profited from their dominance and deservedly led 2-0 at the end of that opening period. Devils were forced on the back foot, conceding possession in their own zone after Ben Bowns had saved Mathieu Roy's initial effort: Swedish centre Andreas Valdix tucked home the juicy rebound for his 13th of the season. Just under five minutes later at 13:23, Steelers doubled the lead. Some great work by Robert Dowd and Mark Matheson did the hard work and Valdix was there on the doorstep for his second of the night and 14th of the season.

It was a fully deserved lead for the Steelers in a building where they have had little success all season and it got better at 23:45 when they made it an impressive 3-0 on the night. With Devils picking up a spot of penalty trouble, the visitors made a 5 on 3 powerplay count. Jonas Westerling was attempting the pass across Bowns' crease but the pass took a deflection off a Devil and the puck nestled into the net for Jonas' 9th of the season. Devils were more offensive in this middle period, probably as a result of a few harsh words by player-coach Andrew Lord, and they reduced it to 3-1 just short of the halfway mark. Matt Pope scoring the goal to give some life back into his side.

The offensive threat continued in the final period but we had three goals in the space of just under two minutes in it. At 49:41, Devils made it a one goal game when Layne Ulmer finished with an effort that beat Day low on his blocker. 55 seconds later and the Steelers two goal margin was restored when the ever-dependable second line. Levi Nelson fed Valdix, whose shot was saved by Bowns but the GB internationalist could do nothing more as Dowd picked up the rebound and tucked it away for his third goal of the weekend and 21st of the season. 58 seconds after that it became a one goal game again, Justin Faryna lighting the lamp after Devils had caused the Steelers to concede possession in their own zone. But that was as good as it got for the home side as a Day-inspired Steelers stood firm despite the inevitable onslaught to record two vital road points and poop the Devils party on ice.

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Devils 3 Steelers 4

Steelers Scoring: Valdix 2+1, Dowd 1+1, Roy 0+2, Westerling 1+0, Matheson 0+1, Nelson 0+1, O'Connor 0+1.

Devils Scoring: Ulmer 1+1, Richardson 0+2, Pope 1+0, Faryna 1+0, Hotham 0+1, Haddad 0+1. 

Shots On Goal:  Steelers 39 Devils 29

Powerplay: Steelers 1 from 4 (25% conversion), Devils 0 from 3 (0% conversion)

Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 12 Devils 12

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Day 26 Saves (72), GAA: 3.00 (2.84), Save Percentage: 89.70% (91.10%)

Man of the Match: Brad Day (Steelers), Layne Ulmer (Devils)

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Big Match Preview: Nottingham and Cardiff

Welcome to the preview of this weekend's Steelers games.

After suffering a reverse in midweek, Steelers head in the penultimate weekend of the season mathematically sure of their play-off quarter final spot. They, however, face a couple of games in their own Erhardt Conference this weekend. This starts tonight (Saturday) when we host the following:

Yes it's a visit from those down the M1 - the equally underperforming Bears. Going into December, Corey Neilson's men looked well placed to be challenging for their first title since that treble winning season of 2013. But in typical Panther fashion, they fell away dramatically and currently lie in a very disappointing 7th place in the league standings. It's been like the Steelers, a season of inconsistency.

Steelers have had a good record against the Panthers for once this season, and will be hoping that continues. Miika Franssila is expected to have recovered from illness to resume his place back in the team which means someone will sit out. After his ejection in the last home game; will this be Fitzy? Panthers are hoping to finish the regular season on a high and get a decent quarter-final match up. Anything could happen tonight.

After this game Steelers are back in action on the Sunday and on the road. They travel south to a place they have already been this week, that being the following:

Newly crowned Elite League Champions (for a second time in a row) Cardiff Devils play host looking to get some points as they inch closer to a back to back title triumph. It certainly promises to be a party atmosphere for the home fans, and they could add the Erhardt Conference title if they overcome the Steelers.

Cardiff of course are beatable, we have to hope that there are a few hangovers in South Wales for that to happen. Can Steelers repeat the dose and delay those Welsh celebrations for a more few days. It will be a hard task but with the Steelers this season, again anything could happen.

My predictions? Steelers to win the Panthers again, I'm going 4-2 with an empty netter to seal the deal. Cardiff will again take the game in Ice Arena Wales though, 6-2 is my call. What about you?

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Steelers hit for six by Devils

Welcome to our match report from Wednesday night's game at Cardiff.

After a four point weekend, Steelers headed into Cardiff hoping to put more delays into the Devils title bid. The Steelers showed one change from the team that won against the Devils and Nottingham which meant no suspension for defenceman Zack Fitzgerald who received two misconducts in the Devils encounter on the Sunday; that being the absence of Finnish defenceman Miika Franssila who was ruled out with illness. However, there were a couple of changes in Andrew Lord's team. Mark Louis returned from a lengthy injury absence and replaced Drew Paris on the blueline whilst Tyson Strachan served a one match suspension for the checking to the head match penalty picked up in Sheffield. Ben Bowns returned in goal after missing the last two games.

Once more we apologise in advance for the brief tome of this match report.

Steelers made once more a terrible start to a game as the Devils scored within just 22 seconds of the initial puck drop, that's eight seconds quicker than the Devils scored at the House Of Steel recently. The two Joey's, Martin and Haddad, combined and offensive defenceman Gleason Fournier lit the lamp for the home side. Almost a couple of minutes later the gloves were dropped as Devils Justin Faryna and Steelers' Eric Neiley went toe to toe in what was said to be a good tilt. Devils were once more forcing the issue, and added a second with 2:46 left in the opening period. With Steelers Swedish centre Andreas Valdix serving a hooking minor, the Devils powerplay went to work for the second time on the night, and this time it produced a goal. Joey Haddad was the scorer.

You would have thought the Steelers would have made a reasonable start to the middle period, wouldn't you? Well, it took the Devils 23 seconds this time to score again: their third of the game. The same three who combined for the opening goal, combined again. This time Martin scored, assisted by Haddad and Fournier. Just before the five minute mark in this period, Devils added a fourth, which also spelled the end of the night for Steelers' Latvian netminder Ervins Mustukovs. Andrew Hotham was the man who scored it, assisted by Sean Bentivoglio and Layne Ulmer. It was a penalty strewn middle period but on their first powerplay of the night, Steelers scored their opening goal of the contest. Mathieu Roy scoring his 26th of the season. The arrears were further reduced with less than four and a half minutes left, and yet another Steelers powerplay goal: Ben O'Connor with his 17th of the campaign. However, Devils restored a three goal margin with eight seconds left in this period, Patrick Asselin scoring past relief netminder Brad Day.

Hopes for the Steelers to get something from the game were flickered once more when they scored a third past Bowns with just 2:42 played in the final period. That well oiled second line provided it with winger Levi Nelson netting his 20th of the season assisted by, well you know the rest. Yet despite outshooting the home side, Devils made the game secure with a sixth and the final goal of the contest. It came just after halfway, Fournier scoring his second of the game on the powerplay as Fitzgerald sat a boarding minor.

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Devils 6 Steelers 3

Steelers Scoring: Neiley 0+2, Roy 1+0, Nelson 1+0, O'Connor 1+0, Valdix 0+1, Matheson 0+1, Dowd 0+1, Westerling 0+1.

Devils Scoring: Fournier 2+1, Haddad 1+2, Martin 1+2, Bentivoglio 0+3, Hotham 1+1, Myers 0+1, Asselin 1+0. 

Shots On Goal:  Steelers 31 Devils 38

Powerplay: Steelers 2 from 6 (33% conversion), Devils 3 from 9 (33% conversion)

Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 25 Devils 31

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 13 Saves (1313), GAA: 9.60 (2.40), Save Percentage: 96.00% (91.70%). Day 19 Saves (46), GAA: 3.43 (2.73), Save Percentage: 96.00% (92.00%)

Man of the Match: Eric Neiley (Steelers), Gleason Fournier (Devils)

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