Steelers go eight points clear at top

Photo: Mark Ferris

Sheffield Steelers extended their lead at the top of the Elite League to eight points, with games in hand, thanks to a three-goal New Year's Day win in Manchester.

The Storm, in their special white-out jerseys, welcomed 2,279 fans into the Storm Shelter.

Logan Flodell's baptism of fire in the Storm net continued as he was beaten on one of the Steelers' first shot of the game - Scott Allen put the puck home in front after it bounced kindly off the back boards with 4:19 played.

Mitchell Balmas doubled the visitors' lead 2:50 into period two after Robert Dowd nicely worked the puck out form behind the net and passed across the crease to an unmarked Balmas to finish. A little over two minutes later, Tyler Hinam got the hosts on the board as he picked up a loose puck off a faceoff and fired high into Anthony Morrone's net.

Storm thought they'd tied the game early in period three, but the puck only entered the net after the whistle had been blown thinking that Morrone had it covered. On the next play, Balmas rubbed salt into the Storm's wounds by extended Sheffield's lead to 3-1 at 47:18.

Flodell was forced to leave the game with 10:17 remaining after going down injured following a shot. Alex Oldale entered the net, but he was beaten by Brett Neumann with 4:28 to play to round off the scoring.