09 Nov 2024, 19:00 | Regular season | Motorpoint Arena Nottingham |
Nottingham Panthers | 2-4 | Sheffield Steelers |
Periods: Shots: | 0-1 (7-10) | 1-1 (9-8) | 1-2 (5-11) | Total: 21-29 |
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Referees: Ansons/Wells  |  Spectators: 6778 |
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Goals and assists
Sheffield Steelers continued their win streak over Nottingham
Panthers with a 4-2 win in an excellent game at a sold-out Motorpoint
Arena.
The Panthers had the game’s first big chance, Kristoff
Kontos getting an excellent chance in front off a pass from behind the
net from Didrik Henbrant – Matt Greenfield coming up with the big save
Greenfield.
Sheffield opened the scoring with 2:36 left in the first period –
Ryan Bednard saved Brien Diffley’s shot, but dropped the puck straight
on the stick of Finlay Ulrick to put the Steelers ahead.
Nottingham were back level early in period two. Good work from
Jordan Kelsall to win the puck back saw him feed Ollie Betteridge who
scored a contender for goal of the week with a snipe into the top corner
of Greenfield’s net at 22:38. The hosts were the better side for the
next 10 minutes or so but found it hard to create any Grade A chances in
front of Greenfield. Not capitlalising on their momentum came back to
bite as the Steelers hit the other way, a great drive to the net by
Dominic Cormier opened up space for Marc-Olivier Vallerand to fire home
with 3:07 left in period two. Bednard had, earlier in the period, made
two excellent stops from close range to keep the score tied.
Tim Doherty levelled the game 8:37 into period three with a
wonderful 1-on-0 finish to raise the noise levels in the Motorpoint
Arena. However, again the Steelers responded to go back into the lead -
an excellent shot from Sasha Guimond beating Bednard at 49:44.
There was late drama with two penalties on the Steelers in the
closing stages, putting the Panthers 5-on-3 for some 45 seconds inside
the final three minutes. Danny Stewart called a timeout but opted to
keep Bednard in the net, however his side couldn’t find that final pass
to create a shot on target and a game-tying opportunity
Some excellent penalty killing from Vallerand helped the Steelers
kill time, and with Bednard out it fell to Mitchell Balmas to settle
things with an empty-netter with 64 seconds remaining.