06 Apr 2019, 19:00 | Play-off | QF1 | Sheffield Arena |
Sheffield Steelers | 5-4 | Cardiff Devils |
Periods: Shots: | 1-0 ( - ) | 3-1 ( - ) | 1-3 ( - ) |
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Referees: Stefan Hogarth/Andrew Dalton  |  Spectators: 6296 |
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Goals and assists
If Sheffield ultimately miss out on a place in the PredictorBet Playoff Finals Weekend, they may look back at what might have been after this first leg where they threw a 5-1 lead away.
Rob Dowd gave Sheffield the perfect start as she fired short side past Ben Bowns inside five minutes in what would be the only goal of the opening period. Layne Ulmer tied things up 2:20 into period two after a scramble in front of Jackson Whistle’s net, but the Steelers were set to take control of the game in a three minute spell. Dowd re-established the home side’s lead at 29:10 as he beat Bowns through the five-hole, before Jordan Owens got on his own rebound from close range to poke the puck home at 31:28. John Armstrong then made it 4-1 at 32:15 to really put the Devils in a hole. The latter two goals came on a major powerplay, after Devils’ James Livingston was ejected for what looked like a Kneeing infraction.
That hole got bigger at the start of the final period, as Armstrong struck again, this time shorthanded, to put the Steelers 5-1 ahead. At this point, anything the Devils could get back would be a bonus, but they ultimately worked their way back into the tie. 45:31 was played when Sean Bentivoglio pounced on a rebound, and then with 5:40 to go Joey Martin was another to get the final touch on a scramble in front of the net. Bentavoglio then made it a one-goal series as he got on to the loose puck after Matt Pope’s slapshot to make the score 5-4.
And that’s how things finished. Sheffield have conceded at least six goals on each of their three trips to the Viola Arena this season, but avoiding defeat would see them advance.