Nomad gives five to Steelers

Strengthened with a couple of players from mother team Barys, Nomad Astana easily takes first points in the Superfinals by beating a not much incisive Sheffield in a nervous game, played in the style Kazakh team likes: strong defence and counterattacks. Steelers played confusing, not efficient in attack and with naïve mistakes on defence: at 01:51 Andrei Yakovlev opens the score: Alikhan Asetov takes a rebound from the boards serving Yakovlev for the precise one-timer. Steelers tries to organize a reaction but goalie Vladimir Kramar does not have much work to do. In the central period, even If Steelers generally controls the game,  the number of scoring chances remains dramatically low, while again Nomad manages to capitalize the opportunities, with the cooperation of English defence that completely forget Valeri Gurin alone in front of the net: for the number 9 is easy to receive from Nikita Mikhalis and nets the second goal. In the last period Kazakhs perfectly make the most of a double power play, scoring third goal with an easy deflection by Mikhalis. With Steelers feeling the punch, 46 seconds after, Asetov runs in the middle of confused defense beating an innocent Mustukovs.  At 48:34 the most beautiful goal, scored again by Nikita Mikhalis after a classy combination with Vladimir Grebenshikov who find the teammate in the open side of defense. At 53 a great save by Mustukovs denies the goal to Egor Petukhov. Before the final siren Sheffield scores the consolation goal with a beautiful move by Eric Neiley, getting out from a faceoff.

MVP: Levi Nelson – Vladimir Kramar

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