Welcome to the second part of "What A Weekend!"; the final weekend of the Steelers regular season as seen through my own eyes. The team had just won in the National Ice Centre, home of the Nottingham Panthers, on an emotional night. Could they finish the job in front of their own fans or would Cardiff spoil the party just like they had done just 13 days earlier in the Challenge Cup Final? Stay tuned in...
After the game Friday, it was time to unwind in the Lace City and despite the vocal chords being strained beyond belief, nothing was going to stop me. A couple of beers in Bunkers Hill were downed before heading off to the Pit and Pendulum just around the corner from the hotel. This pub reminds me of the Dove and Rainbow back here in Sheffield, similar ambience and playing the music I can often be found blasting through headphones. I would have gone to Rock City but when I saw they had a chart and dance night on; the P and P proved to be an inspired alternative. We got back to the hotel at almost 2:00am and nodded off by 3.
The good thing about the Ibis was that we could check out as late as noon which was excellent as it allowed us to have a lie-in and recover from Friday's exertions, The voice had almost returned back to normal, and so after a stroll around the superbly organised Continental Market in Market Square where I purchased some kangaroo burgers (seriously I did, just ask Alan), we headed back to South Yorkshire. There was a league title to be won for the first time since 2011 if we didn't freeze, so to speak, on the occasion.
Arriving back at the Arena at just before 6, I was astounded to hear some of my fellow Steelers fans saying how nervous they were before the game. Crikey, if they were nervous, how must have the actual players and Gerad have been - you could easily multiply that ten-fold. To me, it was just another game or as I kept reminding myself exactly that. I was trying to remain as cool as I could on the exterior with little emotion showing. I must have been one of the most calmest people in the House of Steel before the puck dropped at 19:06 hours from the hand of Reading based stripey Tom Darnell - whom I still maintain is the best official we have in the league, way ahead of Mr Hicks...
Cardiff knew they couldn't leave Sheffield without a win, and it was they who opened the scoring just after the ten and a half minute mark. Carl Hudson was the man who lit the lamp with a strike that caught Steelers on the hop after what appeared a bad line change. At the other end Ben Bowns was having one of those nights as he seemed equal to everything that we could throw at him: just like the Challenge Cup Final all over again. Josh Unice was proving equally good, bar the goal, and we finished the first twenty trailing by that solitary goal.
Steelers ramped up the intensity in the second and after banging on the proverbial door many times, it was my Mam and Samantha Dale's favourite who broke Bowns' resistance with a nicely executed leveller at 27:19. The irrepressible Mosienko and Phillips with the helpers. It was also the cue for the teddy bears to hit the ice and the delay affected us. The momentum swung back Devils' way and we had to be thankful for a combination of dogged defending and some solid saves from Unice to ensure we didn't go into the third period behind. The end of the second period hooter came as a massive relief.
Naturally the third period was a cautious one, with only nine shots registered in total by both sides as each looked for that all important breakthrough. My voice was waning again as the game progressed, and it took a modern day legend to break the tie. Former Devil (and Cardiff born) Phil Hill picked up the puck in the left circle after Bowns had saved from Jeff Legue, threw it across ice where that same number 12 had escaped the attentions of Tyson Marsh and he rammed in his 232nd EIHL Steelers goal into the gaping goal with Bowns stranded. The noise level went up another notch.
What followed was periods of pressure from Cardiff, but the Steelers were in no mood to let this slip. Defending like trojans and limiting the Devils to the outside, basic smart hockey when you are in front. Legue had scored with just over 14 minutes left so it was a long time to hold onto such a slender advantage against a team who have pretty good offence as much as you. But Adams' plan was executed to perfection and at 21:21 (the number 21 being so significant in many respects), time ran out on Cardiff and we celebrated. After 72 emotional hours, the Monteith Bowl returned back to Sheffield. It had been done "For Amy" and she could look down on us all and celebrate in heaven. Champions League hockey was coming its way to Sheffield.
The following night, Cardiff went out and beat a Nottingham team (who simply had nothing to play for in the league, Steelers win against the Devils had given Corey Neilson's team the Erhardt Conference title) 6-2 but even that was only good enough for third. Braehead secured second and the second Champions League spot thanks to former Steeler Stefan Meyer's game winner in Fife to triumph 3-2 (they had beaten Hull 9-4 on Saturday night). And that was that!
So we now head into the two legged quarter final play-offs this weekend. Steelers entertain Fife, Braehead have Hull, Nottingham are paired with Coventry and Cardiff get Belfast. Form should see both Steelers and Clan progress (although upsets can happen as Steelers know to their cost in both 2012 and 2013) whilst the other two could go either way. Panthers face a tough couple of games against massively improved Blaze; the team I personally wanted to avoid; whilst Devils face a Giants side that have failed to deliver this season and will be keen to put some kind of smiles on the faces of the Teal Army. The match ups will determine who will get invites to the Final Four party the following weekend at the NIC. I ain't making any predictions though.
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