01 Jan 2019, 17:30 | Regular season | Altrincham Ice Dome |
Manchester Storm | 5-3 | Sheffield Steelers |
Periods: Shots: | 2-2 (15-22) | 0-1 (12-6) | 3-0 (8-12) | Total: 35-40 |
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Referees: Blake Copeland/Chris Wells  |  Spectators: 2351 |
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Goals and assists
Manchester Storm 5-3 Sheffield Steelers
An Anthony DeLuca hat-trick was not enough for Sheffield Steelers as they twice let a lead slip before going down in Manchester.
The Steelers couldn’t have asked for a better start at the Storm Shelter, going two up inside 74 seconds as DeLuca found the net at both 59 seconds and 1:14 respectively. However they weren’t able to hold that advantage into the first break as the Storm battled back – Mike Hammond’s powerplay marker got the hosts back into the game, before Dallas Ehrhardt tied things up 19 seconds before the end of the period.
DeLuca struck again early as the second period got under way, scoring at 21:26 to give the Steelers a lead which this time they’d hold for the rest of the period.
It was however a ten minute spell in the final period that swung the match in Manchester’s favour. Dane Byers equalised on the powerplay just under six and a half minutes into period three, with Linden Springer then putting the home side ahead at 49:13 for the first time in the game. Ciarian Long’s goal at 16:21 put the Storm into a 5-3 lead that they wouldn’t give up, holding on to collect both points.