EIHL Game Report: Nottingham Panthers 7 Sheffield Steelers 3
Steelers came to Nottingham looking for revenge after their 4-1 loss in Sheffield earlier in the month.
Both teams were ready from the off and the game started very scrappy, both teams had chances to take the lead but neither of them were able to convert. Things got tense early on when Murray cross checked Goertzen, taking exception – both players collided. But before anything could get started, the rest of the players and linesmen got in between them. Both players sat-out for roughing, Murray picking up the extra minor.
Sheffield were first on the board when Captain Goertzen put the puck past Kowalski. Panthers responded with Steelers on the penalty kill, taking Clarke eight seconds to get Panthers level.
Within two minutes, Salters set up Francis to give Nottingham the lead.
The game started to get tense and both teams picked up penalties, as Hicks tried to take control of the game. It looked like the fairly even period would end with just a goal in it. But Panthers had other ideas, with just over a minute left in the first session, Doyle saved the initial shot from Wren – but couldn’t do anything to stop Benedict picking up and drilling home the rebound.
Panthers did well to kill off a five-on-three, when Capraro and Murray picked up penalties 18-seconds apart. Kowalski stopped everything the Steelers threw at him.
Steelers did manage to get past the Nottingham shot-stopper and got the first goal of the second period through Lacroix.
Hicks tried to have a say as he called more soft penalties on both teams – Panthers again waited till late in the period, a three-on-one breakaway saw Panthers stretch their lead to two goals, Loyns and Clarke setting up Capraro.
Corey Neilson’s men started the third period on the powerplay, after Steelers Meyer picked up a cross checking minor in the last minute of the previous period, this didn’t seem to matter to Doug Christiansen’s team as they scored shorthanded, once again pulling the game back to just one goal.
Panthers had a fantastic chance to go further ahead – but were not able to score into the empty net. Doyle once again made the original save this time on Weavers, but let out the rebound and Capraro was in the right place to put in Panthers fifth.
Both sets of players were finishing their checks and fighting for the loose pucks, but the next goal came Panthers way and put the game out of Steelers reach, Lachowicz putting the puck into the empty net after being set up by Salters and newcomer Anderson, who only arrived that morning as injury cover for defenceman Werner, who broke his leg the previous weekend.
Salters scored Panthers seventh and finished off the nights scoring, with Panthers fans shouting “We want Eight!”
Goertzen picked up Steelers’ man of the match, with Salters collecting Panthers.