Steelers continue winning streak against Panthers

Photo: Dean Woolley

Sheffield Steelers came out winners against Nottingham Panthers in an exciting game in front of over 8,300 fans at the Utilita Arena.

Period one was a game of turnovers, and deflections. Kevin Tansey almost coughed the puck up in front of his own goal in front of his own crease after the Steelers won the opening draw, but just did enough to avert the danger. As the puck went up the other end, the Panthers almost gifted the Steelers a goal with a careless pass but the game stayed level. 

The Panthers took two penalties behind the Steelers' goal line in the first, and were punished each time. Felix Pare's Slash let to Dominic Cormier tipping Patrick Watling's shot past Rok Stojanovič 5:46 into things to open the scoring. Westin Michaud responded three and a half minutes later with an excellent deflection on Mike Caruso's shot, but the Panthers' scorer then took a Cross-Checking minor to put his team down a skater again - Daniel Ciampini shovelled the puck over the line off a nice pass from Mitchell Balmas to the side of Stojanovič's net.

Logan Neilson jumped off the bench and into the slot to score his third goal in as many games and tie things up at 25:09 with a well-taken finish. The Panthers weren't level for long, however - Simon Despres was about to be called for a High Stick, but the Steelers worked the puck to Kevin Tansey for a wrist-shot finish at 28:26 to put the hosts back ahead.  The game began opening up in the final stages of the period - Westin Michaud setting up Alexander Lunsjo at the back post on a 2-on-0 but he couldn't pull the move to beat Greenfield, while Hugo Roy saw a breakaway attempted denied not a minute later.

Mikko Juusola finished off a nice passing play to put the Steelers 4-2 ahead 1:39 into period three, followed by Josh Nicholls scoring at 49:18 to give the hosts a 5-2 lead. However, a couple of quick goals got the Panthers back into things: Hugo Roy slapped an Anthony Luciani pass home at 52:29, while Westin Michaud got the credit for the Panthers' fouth off a deflection in front of Greenfield. Rober tDowd getting a bobbling puck over the line gave the Steelers their two-goal advantage back with 4:56 to go to settle the home side's nerves.

The win was enough to confirm the Steelers' place in the playoffs.