Steelers bounce back with shutout win

Photo: Derek Black

Sheffield Steelers ended the weekend with a win with a four-goal shutout victory over Dundee Stars.

“It was a good bounce back, the boys got out to a good start and came out with the two points,” said Steelers’ Cliff Pu after the game.

Sheffield opened the scoring on the powerplay, with Evan Jasper poking the puck past Emil Kruse on the doorstep. Despite originally being called no-goal on the ice, a video review was conducted and the call was overturned at 08:59.

Mitchell Balmas made it 2-0 twenty-two seconds later at 09:21, breaking into the Dundee zone two-on-one and firing a shot top corner past Kruse.

“It’s tough, coming off of a good win yesterday the boys wanted more of that today,” said Stars’ Jonathan McBean. “The team battled hard, bounces didn’t go our way and you’re obviously not going to win if you can’t put the puck in the net.”

Ryan Tait scored the lone goal of a back-and-forth period at 39:24, picking up a drop pass from Evan Jasper off the rush and firing a shot from the right circle past Kruse.

Mikko Juusola made it 4-0 early in the third, crashing the net and redirecting Cliff Pu’s shot past Kruse at 43:16. That was where the scoring ended, giving Eamon McAdam a 29-shot shutout.

“McAdam’s been great for us all year,” added Pu. “He’s a high end goalie, one of the best in the league, so having him and Greenfield is a privilege.”

McBean concluded: “Every week you want to be picking up points regardless of where they come from. We got two yesterday but unfortunately the four point weekend didn’t happen. As long as we leave it all on the ice it’s hard to be annoyed but we just have to be better.”