27 Dec 2023, 19:00 | Regular season | Motorpoint Arena Nottingham |
Nottingham Panthers | 0-4 | Sheffield Steelers |
Periods: Shots: | 0-1 (8-17) | 0-3 (11-17) | 0-0 (17-10) | Total: 36-44 |
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Referees: Pering/Good  |  Spectators: 6891 |
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Goals and assists
Sheffield Steelers stayed clear at the top of the Elite League with a
four-goal, shutout win over Nottingham Panthers at a sold-out
Motorpoint Arena.
Brian Diffley hit the crossbar in the opening
stages that were dominated by the Steelers, who were unlucky not to be
ahead early. Jeremy Welsh had the Panthers' best chance to open the
scoring in front of Matt Greenfield off a Jordan Kelsall pass but his
shot was straight down the middle of the Steelers netminder. Sheffield
went ahead at 7:46 on a 2-on-0 with Cole Shudra finding Josh Nicholls at
the far post to beat Rok Stojanovič. The Panthers' Slovene goalie was
difference between the home side being only one, and not more, down at
the opening 20 minutes, but at the other end both Jordan Kelsall and
Hugo Roy both had chances to level before the first intermission
arrived.
6:18 into period two, Kevin Tansey fired home from
the point after the Panthers got caught on a bad line change to put the
Steelers two up. Carl Neill should have pulled one back for the home
side but shot wide with the net gaping in front of him, while Rok
Stojanovič stopped a Scott Allen penalty shot to prevent the Steelers
going further ahead. 70 seconds later, however, Stojanovič was pulling
the puck out of his net off a good finish from Patrick Watling, after
which Jonathan Paredes called his timeout. Simpson shot home a loose
puck at the top of the crease to put the Steelers four ahead after two
periods.
The Panthers' best chance to break their duck fell to Roy
with a penalty shot at 52:06, but he could only find the middle of
Greenfield's jersey. Stojanovič pulled off an outstanding glove save to
stop the Steelers adding a fifth, while Roy had a late chance to beat
Greenfield's shutout but couldn't take advantage - and the Steelers
goalie held on to log a 36-shot shutout.