Devils @ Steelers 11th March

8th Mar 2012 | Posted by Simon Rafferty

Sunday Night see’s the Devils in action is Sheffield’s house of tin against the league’s second placed (not first placed) Sheffield Steelers. This will be the Eighth time the two teams have met this season, excluding preseason games, with the score currently sitting at 5 wins for the Steelers, 1 draw and 1 win for the Devils. The Steelers are still deluding themselves that they have a shot for the league so they will be keen to take the points away from this one to keep their league win hopes alive (even thou they aren’t).

Last weekend saw the Steelers take a backward step in their league campaign on Friday night as they played the league leaders the Belfast giants in the first of three games between these two clubs that more than likely will decide the destination of this year’s league title. They have still to play one another in Belfast on Friday and Saturday 16th and 17th March.

Belfast went into the game as league leaders with a seven-point advantage. However, Sheffield had three games in hand. Only the one goal separated the teams at the end of the first period and it came for the Giants from former Steeler Robert Dowd on the power play putting them in front with two minutes left in the period.

The teams traded goals in the second period with the Steelers drawing level with a power play strike from Jason Hewitt. Having got themselves back in the game the Steelers gave up a second power play goal 70 seconds later as Jon Pelle put the visitors in front once again.

It looked as though the Giants were going to hold out for the win that was until Lee Esders found the net with five minutes to go. With no further scoring and the game went to overtime but that failed to find a winner.

Into a penalty shootout and after the first round of three shots each both teams had scored one and missed two. Into sudden death and Craig Peacock made his count whilst Steve Birnstill missed for the Steelers and the Giants collected the extra point.

Final score Sheffield Steelers 2- 3 Belfast Giants

On to Saturday night and the Steelers must have been felling the effect of their penalty shot loss to league leaders Belfast the previous night as they struggled against seventh placed Hull Stingrays.

After a goalless first period, the hosts broke the deadlock with a power play goal from Mike Ramsay two minutes into the second period. They added a second not long after as defenseman Nick Duff netted. Despite out shooting their opponents 3 to 1 in the second period two goal were all they could show for their dominance.

Hull had a remarkable third period and can count themselves unlucky not to have got something out this game. They had 22 shots on goal but could only find the net once and that came on the power play at 49.29 with a goal from Dominic Osman.

With the win narrowly secured the Steeler still have some glimmer of hope of being in contention for the league title, whilst Hull went down to their fifth straight loss.

Final score Sheffield Steelers 2 - 1 Hull Stingrays

Speaking in the Sheffield Star Steelers owner Tony Smith admits Sheffield supporters deserved their ticket money back after their “diabolical” last match against Hull - yet still thinks they can land the league title bless him.

“We should have had people at the exits on Sunday giving fans their cash back, We should have been on our hands and knees apologising.” he went on to say also adding

“It was worse than watching paint dry. I was cringing for the fans. If I could have turned Coronation Street on, I would have.”

Looking at the games to far this season the ones to watch for the Steelers are Jeff Legue who has netted 7 goals against us so far , Mike Ramsay on 3 goals scored and Colt King who’s netted an impressive 5 goals and add to that the clear scoring threat from Luke Fulghum and the ever present agitation that is Ryan Finnerty the Steelers look as always very strong up front despite their stutter steps last weekend against the Giants and Hull.

In nets the Steelers are back up by John DeCaro who’s been very solid for them, despite seeming to kick out some amazing rebounds, with a Save percentage of 92.4% and a 2.4 goals against average.

The Steelers face the Braehead Clan on Thursday and barring any injuries in that game will meet the devils at nearly full strength with only Ashley Tait out with an Ankle problem, owner Tony Smith had this to say on the injury to Tait

“Ash needs a lot of time to recover from ankle ligament injury and I can’t see him back before August...it would be even silly risking him for the Great Britain side (World Championships, Slovenia, April).”

The Steelers really have had the best of the Devils so far this season and this game will be a big ask for the team on the road. The team can go into the game and get a win on the road with a good clever road game. Helping to drive another nail into the Steelers league title hopes would surely make the win all the more sweet.

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