Steelers' third period triple puts out Flames

Photo: Dean Woolley

Three third-period Sheffield Steelers' goals were enough to help them to a second successive home victory against the Guildford Flames.

Just as they had done six nights previously, the teams shared four goals in the opening period and ended it at 2-2.

This time, however, it was the Steelers who went into a two-goal lead. Robert Dowd got the credit for the Steelers' opener at 9:57 which saw his pass in front deflect past Kevin Lindskoug off Jake Bolton's skate. 50 seconds later Evan Mosey made it 2-0 and the home side were flying. 

Guildford fought their way back into the game and used their special teams to their advantage. As Sam Jones sat for slashing, Chris Gerrie needed just 27 seconds to make the advantage count low glove side from the circle. Then, with Keaton Ellerby in the box, the Flames levelled at 18:53 on a broken play which allowed them to work the puck to Ian McNulty in front to beat Barry Brust in exactly the same spot.

The Flames then took the lead 6:42 into period two with Tommaso Traversa in the Steelers' box., and Ian Watters being left in too much space to slap his shot past Brust. The Steelers levelled on a powerplay of their own - nice Steelers passing and a fortunate break got the puck to Marc-Olivier Vallerand to rip a shot past Lindskoug at 27:51.

Guildford had Levi Cable deflected in Alex Yuill's wrist shot from the point at 34:13 to put the Flames back into the lead with their first even-strength goal of the game.

Sheffield levelled 5:57 into period three shorthanded - an unfortunate bounce of a stick meant the Flames couldn't keep the puck in the offensive zone, and Vallerand turned the jets on to skate down the ice and slot past Lindskoug. 2:12 later the home side were ahead when Evan Mosey got to the rebound from Matias Sointu's effort t of the 5,477-strong crowd. Robert Dowd netted 11 seconds later to complete a three-goal Steelers' spell in 203 seconds which put them in control. The Flames got back to within one through Robert Lachowicz with 2:03 left on the clock, and despite getting a 6-on-4 advantage with Vallerand sitting a kneeing call they couldn't find the game's twelfth goal and the Steelers took the win.