Devils send Steelers into midweek hell

Welcome to the match report from Wednesday night's game against the Cardiff Devils.

After enjoying a four point weekend with wins against Guildford and Coventry respectively, Steelers headed into their midweek game against Champions-Elect Cardiff in good spirits. Having beaten the Welsh side 6-2 on the Devils last trip to South Yorkshire: the question was could the Steelers halt the red juggernaut which is heading towards back-to-back league titles? Devils were at full strength as were the Steelers, who added Kieran Brown back to the ranks. Defenceman Zack Fitzgerald still sat as the spare import for a third successive game.

Steelers had the first shot on goal after just five seconds, Matt Marquardt finding the glove of Devils South Yorkshireman Ben Bowns. Yet in almost the next play, the Devils were ahead. A pass across the crease caught out the Steelers and Joey Martin was unmarked to score probably one of the easiest goals of his professional career after 30 seconds play. It was that easy, he could have netted with his eyes closed. Devils were not allowing Steelers to get into a rhythm and doubled their lead at 8:22, Matt Pope getting that all decisive touch from a Joey Haddad shot high right circle. A scramble in front of Bowns' cage was Steelers best effort but Devils managed to survive before adding a third goal three and half minutes before the period end, defenceman Andrew Hotham depositing the rebound after a shot hit the post.

There was more urgency about the Steelers in the second period as they looked to get back into the game, but it seemed to be at times to be more huff and very little puff as the Devils stood firm. Just after the midway point of that period, Steelers thought they had got on the board when Levi Nelson put the puck home but referee Tom Pering adjudged the puck had been kicked in. A minute or so later, Steelers again thought they had scored through Mathieu Roy this time but Pering waved that off too: goaltender interference the decision apparently. It also sparked a spot of fisticuffs between Steelers Andreas Jämtin and Devils Bryce Reddick in the commotion that followed. 

More Steelers pressure came in the third period, but Steelers were finding Bowns a tough nut to crack. The Swinton native was in no mood to concede against the club he supported as a boy, but now apparently has a dislike for. Devils had a few chances to extend their lead to four but a well judged stick save from Ervins Mustukovs denied Sean Bentivoglio after the forward had broken through 2 on 1 with Patrick Asselin. It ended 3-0 to the visitors and another win close to the title for Andrew Lord's men.

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Steelers 0 Devils 3

Steelers Scoring: Nobody!

Devils Scoring: Richardson 0+2, Haddad 0+2, Hotham 1+0, Pope 1+0, Martin 1+0, Asselin 0+1, Reddick 0+1. 

Shots On Goal:  Steelers 26 Devils 20

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

Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 7 Devils 11

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 17 Saves (1151), GAA: 3.00 (2.35), Save Percentage: 85.00% (91.60%).

Man of the Match: Andreas Jämtin (Steelers), Mark Richardson (Devils)

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Big Match Preview: Belfast and Fife

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

It's another busy weekend of action for the Steelers as they go into the last weekend of February action. It all begins on Saturday with an away trip and it's not a short one either. Saturday sees the team in action here:

Yes it's a trip across the sea, and to Northern Ireland to face the Belfast Giants. Giants have had the best of the regular season games with us, and will be looking to get back on track after suffering an unexpected zero point weekend while we were taking the points from Coventry and Guildford. Adam Keefe would not have been a happy bunny we can guess. A win for the Steelers would be the best response after their midweek home reverse to champions-elect Cardiff. It's a game they can win.

After flying back on Sunday lunchtime, the Steelers head straight to the House Of Steel to face another side in the top half of the table. We entertain this side:

This season's surprise packet and the newly crowned Gardiner Conference champions, Todd Dutiaume's Fife Flyers. Fife were successful on their last visit to the Arena as they overturned a one goal deficit to skate back to Kirkcaldy with a 3-1 road win. They have a very good goalie in Andy Iles and some serious offensive power in the shape of Danick Gauthier, Chase Schaber and Evan Bloodoff who have netted over 70 goals between themselves this season.

There's also the dependable and experience of former Steelers Jim Jorgensen and Russ Moyer on the blue line. We will have to be sharp to avoid another loss on home ice.

My predictions? Giants to take the game in the "O" 4-2, Steelers to bounce back with a 3-1 home win over the Flyers on the Sunday. How do you see them unfolding?

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Hockey Soapbox - Season 3 Week 20 - Four points will do nicely

Welcome to this week's Hockey Soapbox. On the panel this week are your Editor Mark plus contributions from Jay, Sarah, Fay, George and Nathan.

1. Five Words On Saturday

We somehow got a win

2 points desperately needed lads

Not a real Steelers game

Good strong home regulation win

Typical Mid Table Bore Fest

Good to be back winning

2. Five Words On Sunday

Turned up after 1st period 

Very lucky with the win

Good strong away overtime win

Great Comeback From 3 Down

Stunning come back. Go Mags!

What an incredible comeback win

3. Did Thompson drop the wrong player to accommodate Frets, and if so who would you have dropped and why?

Jay:  Yes I think he dropped the wrong player! He may have been playing better of late but I would have dropped Jonas "the Wasp" Westerling and made sure we had a great defence to work from. 

George: No. Fitz is a good enforcer, but he is currently wearing a face mask, which stops him from fighting unless he wants to risk another dental appointment, it also makes his vision a bit poorer, meaning he won’t perform at the best of his ability. Good decision for me.

Nathan: If Fltzgerald isn't 100% then Coach made the right decision. However, if he dropped him of Ronnberg for mobility reasons then the bloke has a screw loose. Obviously one import had to make way but as to who and why can only be answered by the chap masquerading as Head Coach behind the bench. 

Fay: Well, can’t say it was the wrong choice because we won both games... but I’d have dropped Ronnberg, just don’t see what he brings to our team. I saw a tweet that highlighted how many goals conceded with and without him here and it wasn’t a positive one. Apparently had the “Best” +/-  but I just don’t think he’s what we need. Slow and doesn’t really use his size to any advantage.

Mark: I think he did. I was half expecting Franssila to be dropped if it was going to be a defenceman but Gromit seems to be bulletproof when it comes to his spot in the team. 

Sarah: We’ve got 7 D so it made sense and did Fitzy come back too early from his injury? Who knows. Fitzy is much more mobile than Ronnberg but then we’ve got too many D men jumping into the play and leaving 1 D on the blue line. Fitzy puts his body on the line every single game and would benefit from a rest. I was disappointed with Fretter this weekend to be honest, I’m not sure if there’s a place for him on the team anymore. He just seemed to hog the puck and then ended up losing it. 

4. What did you reckon to Thompson’s post game interview Saturday?

George: Honestly, didn’t listen to it. However from what I am seeing in tweets and there being questions asked of what is happening within the club. It is worrying, however I was near the dressing room on Wednesday as I was on media duty for my work placement, honestly I heard nothing out the ordinary other than a happy bunch. Think people should stop worrying. Also, we needed to drop someone. That someone happened to be Fitz. We need to stop crying about it and realise we got a four point weekend without our enforcer.

Nathan: I reckon he saw a different game to me!

Fay: Annoyed me, but don’t think it was his decision so he just tried to brush it under the carpet.

Mark: It was another players under the bus interview, very harsh on Zack indeed.

Sarah: Thommo isn’t great with his words sometimes but we’re running with extra imports so he’s got to make the difficult decision. No matter who he left out wouldn’t have been a good decision for everyone. 

Jay:  I don't buy the reasons he gave for leaving Zack out at all. To me if Zack's fit, then you play him its as simple as that, looks like a whole set of excuses to me..

5. If you could replace him, who would you have and why?

Nathan: A replacement for Thompson? The greatest coach in the known universe? How can you possibly replace him? Seriously though for me it would be Pete Russell but I fear he may be headed to the dark side.

Fay: Rob Wilson - think he’d build a hungry, passionate side that will entertain us every week as well as win trophies.

Mark: I'll give you two names, one Brit and one overseas. For the Brit option I would have Peter Russell; even he's gonna be Neilson's replacement in the land of the Bears next season (world's worst kept secret probably); as he coaches a very fast and entertaining side - results haven't gone for a MKL team who are getting used to life in the big league. Overseas, and my number one pick: Rob Wilson. Knows the league and the club. Would be amazing if we got him but I can't see him leaving the DEL. He'd bring passion and is someone we can all relate to.

Sarah: I don’t think I would replace him. Tony Smith wanted a GM and coach and he got that with Thommo. I liked G but we need the club to grow and that will happen with Thommo. 

Jay: No point discussing this one. Yes I would replace him, I am not a scout or team owner so no point trying to come up with a name, other than maybe let Zack Fitzgerald be in charge till a replacement is found, bring in Sarich as a assistant and see if he can get his brother to go through his NHL contacts book to help with the coaches replacement...

George: Thompson? Probably Pete Russell. Did a very underrated job at MK. A poor squad does a lot of damage to a manager.

6. Suppose Moose doesn’t come back next season, name a replacement for him and why?

Fay: Caps goalie Tyler Beskorowany(?) - thought he was great when he came last week. Would do really well with a full team in front of him

Mark: Same as everyone probably, I'm going for Beskorowany. He's young and impressed no end in the game on Valentine's Day. Would be a great addition here.

Sarah: Early signs but I like the look of the new Edinburgh nettie. If Moose doesn’t come back, I’d expect Thommo to sign someone not from the league already. I’d be happy if Moose signed for another season though, he’s won us many games. 

Jay: Tyler Beskorowany if possible, sounds like a great netminder and I bet he would jump at the chance and at this point would probably be a shrewd buy at a reasonable cost...

George: Edinburgh goalie, looked very very good. The goalie can only be as good as the defence in front of him. We should get him for me.

Nathan: Easy. Tyler Beskorowany. Ok so he’s 34 possibly 35 by the start of next term but the Caps netminder seriously impressed on Edinburgh’s last visit and played a blinder in Belfast last weekend. Put a decent D in front of him and we could become contenders again.

And that's the Soapbox for this week. Join us for more next time.

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Marquardt scorches old club as Steelers record comeback win

Welcome to our match report from Sunday's game in Coventry.

After their 3-2 home win on Saturday night against Guildford, Steelers travelled down to the Midlands to face a Coventry Blaze side that have been seriously underperformed this season so much so that there are rumblings that this could be Danny Stewart's last season as Blaze Head Coach. Steelers were unchanged from the Flames game which meant Zack Fitzgerald sat out for the second successive game as the spare import. Blaze were considerably short-benched, and iced just 12 imports. and 14 outskaters. Bare bones indeed for the Blaze.

The game was delayed to allow a large crowd in as the Blaze honoured Russ Cowley with a well deserved shirt retirement. Cowley had served the Blaze with such distinction for 14 full seasons, bar a single season in Cardiff in 2006-07, after joining them from Swindon Lynx midway through the 2001-02 campaign. The Edmonton-born player could play either defence or forward, and appeared in 711 games for the Blaze as well as 66 times from the Team GB senior team. A great servant to British Ice Hockey.

Once the ceremony had concluded, it was time to play hockey and Blaze looked like they would belie their lowly league standings and ensure the shirt retirement would be celebrated with a win as they scored just a couple of seconds before the five minute mark. Top scorer Marc-Olivier Vallerand netted it, scoring on a breakaway and finishing past Ervins Mustukovs. Just after the halfway point of that opening period, Blaze scored again: this time it was Gaelan Patterson who scored. Patterson lighting the lamp on a delayed penalty play. Both teams then hit the pipework but the opening period ended 2-0 in the Blaze's favour and deservedly so as the Steelers only had 4 shots on Kevin Nastiuk's goal.

Harsh words must have been said in the locker room but at 23:32, the Blaze had a third goal. Steelers were defending a 5 on 3 after calls for too many men on the ice and a Jonathan Phillips boarding minor. They scored on the first man advantage, that man Vallerand with his second of the game. Yet Steelers were more offensive in the middle period, outshooting their hosts. They reduced the arrears at 28:12 when a puck bounced around the Blaze zone before Eric Neiley took charge and slotted home his third in as many games and 5th of the season. Steelers' tails were up and they reduced the margin further 31:51 on the powerplay, former Blaze defenceman Ben O'Connor blasting home a one timer for his 15th of the campaign.

The dominance continued in the third period as Steelers started to force the Blaze back whilst repelling any home threats. With about seven and half minutes to go, parity was restored. Some quality play from Colton Fretter behind Nastiuk's goal saw him tee up Matt Marquardt who gleefully took advantage and net his 23rd goal of the season. Coventry were hanging on and were thankful to Nastiuk to allow the game to go overtime and gain a point as Steelers pressed for a winner. However in overtime Blaze seemed rejuvenated and had the best chances, yet Steelers managed to score that all important game winner with their first shot in that extra period. Mathieu Roy setting up his buddy Marquardt to break his old team's hearts for goal number 24 of the season. What a comeback!

Time for the statistics:

Goals: Blaze 3 Steelers 4

Steelers Scoring: Marquardt 2+0, Westerling 0+2, Neiley 1+0, O'Connor 1+0, Valdix 0+1, Roy 0+1, Wallace 0+1, Fretter 0+1, Nelson 0+1.

Blaze Scoring: Vallerand 2+0, Patterson 1+0, Pietrus 0+1, Robinson 0+1, Venus 0+1. 

Shots On Goal:  Blaze 35 Steelers 42

Powerplay: Steelers 1 from 6 (17% conversion), Blaze 1 from 4 (25% conversion)

Penalty Minutes called: Steelers 10 Blaze 14

Steelers Goaltender Stats: Mustukovs 32 Saves (1134), GAA: 2.88 (2.34), Save Percentage: 91.40% (91.70%).

Man of the Match: Mark Matheson (Steelers), Marc-Olivier Vallerand (Blaze)

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