Weninger stops all five shots in shootout!

Photo: Mark Ferris

Evan Weninger stopped all five Sheffield Steelers shots as Manchester Storm recorded a shootout win over the Steelers at the Storm Shelter.

“I think they came out strong with a quick couple of goals and it’s hard to keep up and catch up for the rest of the game,” admitted Steelers forward Mitchell Heard. “It’s a tough building to come in and win, a little smaller and with less time on the puck. It was a good game overall, but we are lucky to get one point and wish we had both.”

The first period was controlled by the home side, but the offence only arrived seven minutes in after JD Dudek drew a penalty shot for the Storm. Dudek made easy work of the opportunity, beating Greenfield by cutting down the wing before faking a forehand shot and instead pulling the puck to his backhand and into the net.

A goal from Dante Hannoun doubled the Storm lead, redirecting a backdoor pass from the point into the net to make it 2 to 0 with 2:15 left in the period. Greenfield was not to be beaten by the same play twice as the Storm attempted a similar move just over a minute later, but the Sheffield netminder read the play well to deny them.

It was a period to remember for Sheffield’s Mitchell Heard, who began a feisty second with chances aplenty and eventually got the Steelers on the scoreboard with 7:05 remaining. His quick snapshot from the bottom of the faceoff circle beat Wenninger to make it 2 to 1.

Heard followed up with his second of the game on a patient play that saw him remain composed and wait out a sliding Wenninger before finishing into the open net. Heard’s two goals capped a dominant twenty minutes for Sheffield and sent the game into the final period tied.

Brandon Cutler put the Storm back ahead just 58 seconds into period three, but the game was tied once again as Brett Ritchie was credited with a goal that Wenninger would have wanted back.

Neither side could find an overtime winner, but the Storm claimed the extra point in the shootout after Wenninger stopped all five Steelers attempts and Cutler scored the decisive goal.

“We have the right guys in there, the right leaders and the right coaching staff. They have us doing things the right way and getting us to do the right things,” concluded Heard. “As long as we stick to our system and keep doing it over and over, I think we will be fine.”