Split Weekend for Steelers in Belfast

Welcome to the match report of the double header weekend in Belfast as the Steelers travelled to the Northern Irish capital. I've decided to encompass both games into one article so apologies in advance if it looks bit squashed.

After building up some excellent form either side of the Christmas and New Year period, Steelers quietly fancied their chances when locking horns with a team that has had their number all season so far. Bar John Armstrong who was out with injury, Steelers started game one with a full strength roster which meant a debut for new import Eric Neiley. Giants on the other hand were still short on numbers and were without the injured trio of Stephen Murphy, Mark Garside and Dustin Johner. It was also the first time that Spiro Goulakos and Steelers Colton Fretter had faced each other in action since that infamous game back in late October.

In fact it took only 54 seconds before the two protagonists faced off each again, definitely hinting at some bad blood between them. Goulakos adding more minutes to his record with 17 minutes alone from that particular clash. In fact, the first period was quite a penalty strewn one with 38 minutes handed out, but we did have a goal in it though. Neiley skating down the wing for new line-mate Matt Marquardt to latch onto his pass, and despite Jackson Whistle saving the initial effort: the big fella pocketed the second chance for his 15th of the season.

There was no let up in the penalty minutes in the second period either. Giants levelled the score at 31:29 when a shot from Goulakos struck the post but fell kindly for team-mate Steve Saviano to tap the loose puck home. Yet Steelers struck next, and it came shorthanded. With Neiley in the box for hooking, Andreas Jämtin carved his way through the home side and again although Whistle saved the first effort: there was nothing he could do to stop Mark Matheson snaffling up the rebound for the defenceman's 7th of the season. Then came another flashpoint, Zack Fitzgerald catching Goulakos up high but too high in the eyes of the officials and getting a match penalty for an illegal check to the head. With 23 seconds left in the period, Steelers extended it to 3-1 when another rebound fell kindly and Jämtin scored his 6th of the season.

Giants knew they needed to push on and get back into it, and reduced the arrears just over five minutes into the final period. From a tight angle, David Rutherford was on hand to light the lamp and give his team hope. Chances came and went for both sides after that and more penalties got called too. Neiley dropping the gloves with Giants Ryan Martinelli, then whilst looking for the game tying goal Giants suffered more indiscipline in the last 23 seconds. First of all Goulakos got himself ejected for an illegal check to the head on Tim Wallace, taking his personal penalty count to 42 minutes in game one, and then less than 13 seconds left Sebastian Sylvestre let his emotions get the better off him and also went for an early shower. Steelers held on after that, and took game one by 3-2.

Game two, and would it be as interesting and eventful as Friday. The answer was yes. Both teams showed changes from Friday, Steelers missing Fitzgerald as he served game one of a four game suspension for his clash with Goulakos whilst Giants iced Jeff Mason and Steven Eccles as Brandon Benedict sat out and both Goulakos and Sylvestre were suspended. Unfortunately as much as Giants had been indisciplined more on Friday, Steelers suffered the same fate on the Saturday. Just before the 6 minute mark Jämtin turned from Friday's hero to Saturday's villain as he was sent for a very early shower for cross checking Rutherford after being penalised for a hook on the same player. This put the Giants on a massive seven minute powerplay! Less than two minutes into it, who else but Colin Shields opened the scoring. 21 seconds later, it became 2-0 with Rutherford on the scoresheet.

A third goal arrived just before the 13 minute mark, Jonathan Ferland lighting the lamp a second after Steelers had seen off the two minute minor part of a 2+10 checking from behind issued to Miika Franssila. The game was put beyond the visitors just before the halfway stage in the contest, Rutherford scoring his second of the night and third of the two game series with a neat finish. Could Steelers salvage any pride? Well they kept at it, and broke Whistle's shutout bid at 47:14. With Giants Cole Jarrett sitting for slashing, Steelers worked the puck back from a face off and Ben O'Connor zinged home a fizzer for 4-1; his 9th of the season. Yet Giants had the last word with just over a minute to go, that man Shields scoring once more after a loose puck landed conveniently for him.

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Game 1 -  Giants 2 Steelers 3, Game 2 - Giants 5 Steelers 1 

Steelers Scoring: Game 1 - Jämtin 1+1, Matheson 1+1, Marquardt 1+0, Wallace 0+1, Neiley 0+1. Game 2 - O'Connor 1+0, Valdix 0+1, Marquardt 0+1.

Giants Scoring: Game 1 - Saviano 1+0, Rutherford 1+0, Goulakos 0+1, Murphy 0+1, Ferland 0+1, Riley 0+1. Game 2 - Shields 2+1, Connolly 0+3, Rutherford 2+0, Riley 0+2, Ferland 1+0, Jarrett 0+1, Vandermeer 0+1, Saviano 0+1, Murphy 0+1.

Shots On Goal:  Game 1 - Giants 31 Steelers 50. Game 2 - Giants 58 Steelers 31.

Powerplay: Overall - Steelers 1 from 15 (7% conversion), Giants 2 from 19 (11% conversion)

Penalty Minutes called: Game 1 - Giants 89 Steelers 49 , Game 2 - Giants 18 Steelers 61.

Steelers Goaltender Stats: (Initial figures are both games combined) Mustukovs 82 Saves (866), GAA: 3.50 (2.24), Save Percentage: 82.80% (92.20%).

Man of the Match: Game 1 - Andreas Jämtin (Steelers), Jonathan Ferland (Giants). Game 2 - Mark Matheson (Steelers), Colin Shields (Giants).

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Big Match Preview: Belfast (Away Double Header)

Welcome one and all to the next preview of the upcoming Steelers games.

The team are in a bit of form at present, which is something we have been waiting to happen for quite a while and is welcomed by us all. Five wins in our last five games, four in regulation and one in a thriller on New Year's Day at Altrincham where we saw off the hosting Storm 6-5 after a penalty shootout.

We now turn our attentions to another double header, however both of this games are on the road and in the air as well as we make the trip across the water to face this team:

It's a team that have had our number all season this year; a stark comparison to some previous ones when we have taken their scalp home and away constantly. Steelers are yet win either in the "O" or at the House Of Steel against Adam Keefe's team. The current record in the match ups this season currently lies at played four and lost four if you're a Steelers supporter. See what I mean by saying they have had our number all season? Surely this weekend will see the boys redress the balance...

The games so far have had a bit of feistiness and part of that can be attributed to the Fretter-Goulakos incident which saw Colton get a six game ban and Goulakos, in my eyes and plenty others too, lightly with just two. Safe to say once Goulakos' name is read out on Friday evening I'm not expecting the defenceman to get a massive round of applause and cheers from the members of the Orange Army present in the Northern Irish capital. I can expect jeers a plenty.

Steelers and Belfast will be looking to win both games, a split series will do neither team any good as they chase down the again runaway leaders Cardiff - who are looking good candidates to record back-to-back league titles. Giants lie in second spot six points behind the Devils having played the same amount of games, and Steelers one place further back with a deficit of eight points but having played one more game. A four point weekend for either and the Devils slipping up in their games at Guildford and at home to the Bears respectively; would make it very interesting at the top. Steelers need to continue in their rich seam of form but it won't be easy especially if Colin Shields is about...

My predictions? Steelers to take game one 3-2 after overtime/shootout and then to win game two 4-2 to build on their foundations in the league chase and set themselves up well for the upcoming Continental Cup Super Final in Belarus which we will of course preview next week. How do you see them unfolding? Let us know...

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Match Report: 22.2.2015 - Giants v Steelers EC/EIHL

Sunday 22^nd February 2015 – Belfast Giants (24-16-4) v Sheffield Steelers (27-11-4) @ Odyssey Arena. Face-off: 4pm, Erhardt Conference/Elite League

Belfast Giants – 4
Craig Peacock (2) – 1^st, 3^rd
Nathan Robinson – 2^nd
Calvin Elfring – 3^rd

Sheffield Steelers – 5
Colton Fretter (2) – 1^st, 2^nd PP
Michael Forney – 1^st PP
Robert Dowd – 1^st
Cullen Eddy - OT

A massive league game at the Odyssey and one that the Steelers had to win and what a game it was that went all the way to overtime. Steelers took the lead at 6:22 when a poor line change by the Giants let Fretter in on the breakaway and with a nice move Chubak committed and Fretter slotted easily into the open goal. It was soon 2-0 at 10:00 when Steelers were pressing up high on the powerplay and it was Mathieu Roy that forced a save out of Chubak down low but the Giants netminder had lost the puck and it tricked under him and Forney finished it into the empty net. Giants would have a goal waved off for what looked like goalie interference but from the resulting face off Craig Peacock fired a nice snap shot past Woolhouse at his near post at 11:58 to bring the home side within one goal. At 18:42 Steelers made it 3-1 when Mosienko skated zone to zone he skated down the left hand side and managed to throw the puck in front of goal and Robert Dowd got his stick on the end of it to tip past Chubak and that’s how it stayed going into the break.

End of the 1st Period: Belfast Giants 1–3 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Giants 10-13 Steelers

Into the second period it was Steelers who carried on the front foot and made it 4-1 at 31:21 while on the man advantage again it was hard work by Mosienko behind the goal who eventually found Dowd and his shot was saved by Chubak and Fretter was there to shoot the rebound into the open goal. Belfast pulled another goal back at 33:51 when former Panthers Nathan Robinson was played through 1 on 1 and he shot blocker side high on Woolhouse to bring the Giants within two goals. Giants went into the second intermission two goals down knowing they would need a big third session to get back into the game.
End of the 2nd Period: Belfast Giants 2–4 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Giants 6–11 Steelers

Third period got underway and it was a high intensity period and Belfast were unlucky not to score early when on the breakaway Woolhouse came out to deny Giants and then Fretter blocked a shot on the door step before Dowd blocked the rebound. Belfast pulled it within one goal at 48:10 when Elfring was in front of goal and somehow managed to shoot his backhand past Woolhouse and it was 4-3 to the Steelers with all the momentum with the Giants. Belfast levelled the game at 53:41 when Peacock to the right of Woolhouse fired a shot that rebounded off the Sheffield netminder and in to level the game at 4-4 and this game was going to overtime.
End of the 3rd Period: Belfast Giants 4-4 Sheffield Steelers
Shots on Goal: Giants 11–9 Steelers

Into Overtime and Sheffield won the game at 61:09 when Cullen Eddy broke 3v1 and fired a beauty of a snap shot that beat Carsen Chubak to give the Steelers their first win at the Odyssey this season in their final visit.
Shot on Goal: Giants 0-2 Steelers

FINAL SCORE: Belfast Giants 4–5 Sheffield Steelers OT

Boxscore (1st-2nd-3rd-OT-[PIM]-{PP}-S)

Belfast     - 1-1-2-0-[14]-{0/1}-27

Sheffield - 3-1-0-1-[4]-{2/6}-35

Belfast Man of the Match: #71 Craig Peacock
Sheffield Man of the Match: #67 Colton Fretter

Belfast Points Round Up: - 12 Points
Evan Cheverie (0+1), Ray Sawada (0+1), David Phillips (0+1), Mike Kompon (0+1), Colin Shields (0+1), Kevin Saurette (0+1), Calvin Elfring (1+1), Cody Brookwell (0+1), Craig Peacock (2+0), Nathan Robinson (1+0)

Sheffield Points Round Up: - 13 Points

Gord Baldwin (0+1), Cullen Eddy (1+0), Michael Forney (1+0), Mathieu Roy (0+1), Tomas Petruska (0+1), Tyler Mosienko (0+2), Colton Fretter (2+0), Darrell Hay (0+1), Robert Dowd (1+2)

Referee: #9 Tom Darnell

Referee: #27 Mike Hicks

Linesman: #38 Danny Beresford

Linesman: #25 Andy Dalton

I'm also playing in the UK Forum All-Stars 2015 in Sheffield representing the Blue Cross for a second year in a row and any donations big or small will be appreciated and you can donate by pressing the button to the right.

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Match Report: 3.1.2015 - Giants v Steelers EC/EIHL

Saturday 3^rd January 2014 – Belfast Giants (18-9-1) v Sheffield Steelers (19-7-2) @ Odyssey Arena. Face-off: 7pm, Erhardt Conference/Elite League

Belfast Giants – 6
Colin Shields – 1^st PP
Cody Brookwell – 2^nd
Darryl Lloyd – 2^nd
Ray Sawada – 2^nd
Craig Peacock – 2^nd
Mike Kompon – 3^rd

Sheffield Steelers – 3
Tyler Mosienko – 1^st
Colton Fretter – 1^st
Jason Hewitt – 2^nd

Game two of the double header got underway and Giants had the puck in the net early on but it was waved off as Sawada driven straight into Frank Doyle a decision Cullen Eddy didn’t like and dropped the gloves with the Giants forward in protection of his netminder but it was the visitors who took the lead like the night before and at 3:21 Rod Sarich had the puck in the Belfast zone to the left of Chubak and a badly taken shot bounced in front of goal and Tyler Mosienko re-directed from close range to give the Steelers a 1-0 lead. The lead didn’t last long when Legue took a high sticking penalty Giants went on the powerplay and unfortunately for the visitors Mathieu Roy blocked a shot with his ribs and as he skated off injured it left his man open to shoot and former Steeler Colin Shields fired a big slap shot from the blue line that caught Doyle out of his goal and the game was tied 1-1 at 4:26 and it was also the end of Roy’s night as he wouldn’t return to the Ice. Belfast would have a second goal ruled out when the home side were deemed to have a man in the crease as Doyle was beaten a decision I myself was unsure about but the game was still level at 1-1 until 15:53 when O’Connor played in Colton Fretter down the right as the Steelers forward snapped a shot from the top of the left circle that beat Chubak top shelf and gave the Steelers a 2-1 lead it was a sweet goal and one Fretter made look so easy but it was Sheffield who took a 2-1 lead into the break.

End of the 1st Period: Belfast Giants 1–2 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Giants 12-11 Steelers

Belfast came into the second period looking to get the game level and started getting physical as did the Steelers but at 33:46 Giants did equalise when Brookwell got his shot away and beat Doyle through traffic and before we knew it Belfast led 3-2 at 34:29 and it was Darryl Lloyd who scored from the rebound into the open goal after Doyle saved from just in front. It got even worse for the Steelers when at 35:23 despite looking offside Ray Sawada turned and shot through the five hole of Doyle and the goal was given and Belfast had a 4-2 lead after Sheffield had clearly pressed the suicide button. At 37:38 Jason Hewitt tried to stop the slide as he pulled it back to 4-3 after a nice pass from Dowd to him behind the goal the British bulldog shot on off the back of Chubak and into the goal and we had a game on again. Sheffield just couldn’t contain the champions and at 38:52 a bullet of a slap shot by Craig Peacock from the blue line went through traffic and beat Doyle and the Steelers netminder had no chance and the visitors had a mountain to climb going into the break 5-3 down after being 2-1 up.
End of the 2nd Period: Belfast Giants 5–3 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Giants 10–10 Steelers

Going into the third period it was all about the netminders and if it wasn’t for Chubak and Doyle there could have been even more goals for either side but the netminders were outstanding there was a strange incident in the third period and it was not long after Cullen Eddy had just jumped out of the box he was soon back in it when he was deemed to have elbows and the call was given by Dean Smith who in the neutral zone and Matt Thompson was behind Doyle’s goal not more than three feet away and he gave nothing and it just seemed to be the Smith show and Thompson wasn’t having a say in the matter. Giants finished the scoring off at 55:35 while on the delayed penalty for a trip Doyle made a save from in front and without any help by his Skaters the rebound was put into the open goal by Mike Kompon and Belfast had a four point weekend and the Steelers had a four game losing streak.
Shots on Goal: Giants 11–8 Steelers

FINAL SCORE: Belfast Giants 6–3 Sheffield Steelers

Boxscore (1st-2nd-3rd-OT-[PIM]-{PP}-S)

Belfast     - 1-4-1-0-[17]-{1/7}-33

Sheffield - 2-1-0-0-[23]-{0/4}-29

Belfast Man of the Match: #3 Jeff Mason
Sheffield Man of the Match: #67 Colton Fretter

Belfast Points Round Up: - 18 Points
Jeff Mason (0+2), Evan Cheverie (0+2), Ray Sawada (1+0), Mike Kompon (1+0), Colin Shields (1+0), Mark McCutcheon (0+1), Calvin Elfring (0+2), Cody Brookwell (1+1), Adam Keefe (0+2), Craig Peacock (1+1), Darryl Lloyd (1+1)

Sheffield Points Round Up: - 8 Points

Jason Hewitt (1+0), Rodney Sarich (0+1), Tyler Mosienko (1+0), Mark Thomas (0+1), Colton Fretter (1+0), Darrell Hay (0+1), Robert Dowd (0+1), Ben O’Connor (0+1)

Referee: #26 Dean Smith

Referee: #6 Matt Thompson

Linesman: #25 Andy Dalton

Linesman: #31 Ally Flockhart

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Match Report: 2.1.2015 - Giants v Steelers EC/EIHL

Friday 2^nd January 2014 – Belfast Giants (17-9-1) v Sheffield Steelers (19-6-2) @ Odyssey Arena. Face-off: 7pm, Erhardt Conference/Elite League

Belfast Giants – 5
Evan Cheverie – 2^nd PP
Cody Brookwell – 2^nd
Calvin Elfring – 3^rd PP
Robby Sandrock – 3^rd PP
Craig Peacock – 3^rd EN

Sheffield Steelers – 3
Dustin Kohn – 1^st PP
Jonathan Phillips – 1^st SH
Ben O’Connor – 3^rd

The first game of a double header between two title contenders got underway and it was a heated battle and it was Sheffield who took the lead at 2:33 when Mathieu Roy was screening Chubak it was Dustin Kohn who fired a sweet shot that beat the Giants netminder from the blue line for a 1-0 score line.  That would be followed by a fight between Danny Bois and Adam Keefe and that was the result of a hit on Cody Brookwell against the boards which is a contender for hit of the season and before you know it Keefe had his gloves off and Bois just obliged there were punches thrown by both but was eventually broken up by the officials. Steelers took a 2-0 lead at 11:07 while shorthanded Mosienko fed the Steelers captain Jonathan Phillips who skated down the left and managed to get in front of Chubak and get a shot off and Chubak attempted to claw It back from inside the goal and Dean Smith signalled for a good goal, Belfast were still on the man advantage and were awarded a penalty shot after Darrell Hay covered up the puck in the crease but Craig Peacock  was denied by Frank Doyle and Sheffield took a 2-0 lead into the break.

End of the 1st Period: Belfast Giants 0–2 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Giants 9-8 Steelers

Just over 9 minutes into the second period Belfast finally pulled a goal back when on the man advantage Giants broke in numbers before Evan Cheverie was played in at the back door and slotted the puck Doyle to bring the Giants within one goal timed at 29:44. Belfast levelled the game at 38:50 when it looked like Doyle had his stick slashed out his hands a bullet of a shot by Cody Brookwell from the point levelled the score at 2-2 but Doyle’s persistence with Hicks was ignored as he was arguing with the referee about how he could award the goal. There was a coming together near Chubak soon after the equaliser involving Colton Fretter and Calvin Elfring and the gloves were dropped and Fretter managed to land some big hits before Elfring put him on the Ice and soon left the Ice injured but both teams went into the second intermission all tied at 2-2.
End of the 2nd Period: Belfast Giants 2–2 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Giants 14–6 Steelers

Into the third period Belfast took the lead at 48:10 when Calvin Elfring picked up the puck and fired a slap shot from the top of the circle to give the Giants a 3-2 lead. It was Belfast who would score a fourth unanswered goal when at 53:37 Robby Sandrock was in possession of the puck on the blue line and shot a slap shot through traffic and Doyle had no chance in saving it and Belfast had come from 2-0 down to lead 4-2 but the Steelers managed to pull another goal back at 54:20 when Roy played Forney who worked hard against the boards and managed to skate free in front of goal but his shot was saved by Chubak but the Giants netminder had lost the puck and O’Connor was there to tap home from 2 yards into the open goal. Sheffield were trying to get back into the game and pulled Doyle at 58:47 for an extra attacker but Giants finished the scoring at 59:38 when Peacock scored from his own zone into the empty net and that was just before Robert Dowd had blocked one off the line and Belfast secured the two points with a 5-3 win.
Shots on Goal: Giants 7–12 Steelers

FINAL SCORE: Belfast Giants 5–3 Sheffield Steelers

Boxscore (1st-2nd-3rd-OT-[PIM]-{PP}-S)

Belfast     - 0-2-3-0-[22]-{3/9}-30

Sheffield - 2-0-1-0-[34]-{1/4}-26

Belfast Man of the Match: #24 Calvin Elfring
Sheffield Man of the Match: #20 Jonathan Phillips

Belfast Points Round Up: - 15 Points
Robby Sandrock (1+0), Evan Cheverie (1+0), Kevin Westgarth (0+1), Mike Kompon (0+5), Colin Shields (0+2), Calvin Elfring (1+1), Cody Brookwell (1+1), Craig Peacock (1+0)

Sheffield Points Round Up: - 9 Points

Gord Baldwin (0+1), Michael Forney (0+1), Mathieu Roy (0+1), Jonathan Phillips (1+0), Tyler Mosienko (0+1), Dustin Kohn (1+0), Colton Fretter (0+1), Ben O’Connor (1+1)

Referee: #27 Mike Hicks

Referee: #26 Dean Smith

Linesman: #25 Andy Dalton

Linesman: #31 Ally Flockhart

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Match Report: 30.11.2014 - Giants v Steelers EC/EIHL

Sunday 30^th November 2014 – Belfast Giants (11-5-1) v Sheffield Steelers (13-5-0) @ Odyssey Arena. Face-off: 4pm, Erhardt Conference/Elite League

Belfast Giants – 4
Mike Kompon (2) – 2^nd, 3^rd PP
Ray Sawada – 2^nd

Sheffield Steelers – 3
Michael Forney (2) – 2^nd PP, 2^nd
Jonathan Phillips – 2^nd

1^st Period in Belfast got underway and it was Doyle who had to make a few early saves but Sheffield were digging in deep and got themselves into the game by making Chubak work early. Sheffield got the first power play of the game as Elfring was called for hooking and Sheffield were show some really good play and forced a great save out of Chubak as Fretter played to Sarich on the point but couldn’t get his shot past the body of Giants netminder. Belfast were pressuring high up the ice and even had a power play of their own and former Nhler Kevin Westgarth tipped a puck up from just in front of Doyle but the Steelers netminder caught it up high. Both teams were getting physical and both teams were having chances but it would be all square at the end of the 1^st period.

End of the 1st Period: Belfast Giants 0–0 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Giants 7-12 Steelers

Second period started fairly even and despite early pressure by the visitors it was the home side who took the lead at 23:18 Mike Kompon beat one out of mid-air from just in front of Doyle for a 1-0 lead. Sheffield were trying to level the game and it started with young Luke Ferrara who chasing the puck deep into the Giants zone before being blatantly blocked by Mason but there was no call and before the visitors knew it the home side doubled their lead to 2-0 on 26:03 after Kevin Westgarth was allowed to skate into the Sheffield zone unchallenged and behind Doyle’s goal and he played to Sawada in the right hand circle and Sawada coolly shot over the right shoulder of Doyle and Sheffield had a lot of work to do. A timeout by Gerad Adams seemed to do the trick just after Shields missed an open goal but Keefe was called for a minor penalty and Sheffield made the power play count almost straight away at 29:20 after a smart pass by O’Connor to Forney the Steelers forward pulled a nice turn to lift the puck of Chubak at his near post to score his 20^th of the season and to bring the Steelers within one. Unfortunately both players would receive injuries during the second as Sarich blocked a shot of Lloyd and was eventually helped to the bench and then down the tunnel looking in a lot of pain though and then Jeff Mason took an unfortunate puck to the face and would eventually skate off but the Zamboni would have to come out to clean up the Ice and from the restart the Steelers levelled the game timed at 37:41 when the puck dropped to Jonathan Phillips he fired a fierce slap shot from the right of Chubak to the netminders back post and we was all tied at 2-2. In the very next attack Sheffield took the lead at 38:38 when Forney was able to slot home on the doorstep as he swiped a loose puck past Chubak assisted by Roy for his 21^st goal of the season in which Keefe received a misconduct for abuse to an official as he was clearly unhappy with something but Sheffield took a 3-2 lead into the break.
End of the 2nd Period: Belfast Giants 2–3 Sheffield Steelers

Shots on Goal: Giants 8–13 Steelers

Sheffield started the third period on the man advantage but couldn’t extend their lead as they was being kept to the edges but Belfast were playing as a unit and after Forney was denied on the wrap around Doyle had to poke the puck away from just in front. There was also another injury to a Giant but I do believe he was ok as David Phillips took a shot from Roy into the face that went up of his stick but the Giants man did skate off. Sheffield were giving away stupid penalties and luckily for the visitors the home side couldn’t make them count as Sheffield defended well and kept them to the edges as and when they could with the clock ticking down and both teams attacking well Mathieu Roy headed to the penalty box with 1:40 left and then Chubak was pulled Mosienko had the chance to win it after being played in by Phillips but could only shoot wide of the empty net and it was then that we know we was having an off weekend and it wasn’t going to be our night and in the next attack timed at 59:30 Mike Kompon scored his second of the night to level the score after roofing his wrist shot from the point past Doyle and we was going to overtime.
End of the 3rd Period: Belfast Giants 3-3 Sheffield Steelers
Shots on Goal: Giants 7–12 Steelers

Overtime was more of a one way traffic as Giants couldn’t register a shot on Doyle’s goal but did managed to hit the side netting and the post but Sheffield were creating offence and Chubak kept them out to ensure the game went to penalty shots.

Sheffield missed both of their first two penalty shots as Mosienko was lucky to even take his shot as he lost possession from the moment he started but Chubak managed to save both his and Roy’s and for the Giants first Kompon scored a nice wrist shot before Sawada pulled a move on Doyle and slotted past him at close range to take the win for the Giants as the Steelers would return home with just a one point weekend.
Shots on Goal: Giants 0-4 Steelers

FINAL SCORE: Belfast Giants 4–3 Sheffield Steelers SO

Boxscore (1st-2nd-3rd-OT-[PIM]-{PP}-S)

Belfast     - 0-2-1-0-1-[20]-{1/4}-23

Sheffield - 0-3-0-0-0-[8]-{1/5}-41

Belfast Man of the Match: #17 Mike Kompon
Sheffield Man of the Match: #14 Michael Forney

Belfast Points Round Up: - 9 Points
Robby Sandrock (0+2), Ray Sawada (1+0), David Phillips (0+1), Kevin Westgarth (0+1), Mike Kompon (2+0), Colin Shields (0+1), Darryl Lloyd (0+1)

Sheffield Points Round Up: - 5 Points

Michael Forney (2+0), Mathieu Roy (0+1), Jonathan Phillips (1+0), Ben O’Connor (0+1)

Referee: #6 Matt Thompson

Referee: #26 Dean Smith

Linesman: #25 Andy Dalton

Linesman: #31 Ally Flockhart

Thanks for reading guys. Any questions or comments please get in contact with the Frozen Steel Team on this article, Facebook or via Twitter:-
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