Sheffield Steelers 2-0 Cardiff Devils

Sheffield missing Nathan Gillies (elbow - expected to be out until the New year), Devils awaiting the arrival of Tyson Teplitsky.

3798 saw Sheffield leave it late to win this one as Peter Aubry looked like he might get a shutout and was not afraid to tip the net upside down to deny a shot on his unguarded goal in the 23rd minute. (The sides were 4 on 4 at the time after Joey Talbot was ejected with 5+game for spearing. But Devils powerplay was interrupted as Brad Voth took a cheap Tripping penalty.) Jeff Legue stepped up for the resulting penalty shot but Aubry saved with ease. Legue it was who finally beat him, however blasting home past Aubry's glove (48:56) with Phil Hill sitting a boarding penalty. Rod Sarich intercepted the puck and skated clear to lift the puck home high (58:24) for a short-handed marker that sealed the win, though Devils still lifted Aubry with 75 seconds remaining for the extra skater. Jody Lehman turned aside 23 shots for his shutout.

The home side dominated the first two periods but time and again their low shots found Aubry sticking out a leg to keep the puck out. He only just stopped Doug Sheppard's deflection in the 9th minute and soon after his defence cleared up after a booming shot from Scott Basiuk. In the 16th minute the puck reached Legue close-in but Aubry padded the shot aside and then blocked Talbot's follow-up. Ryan Finnerty's tripping penalty saw Mike Hartwick blasting in, but Lehman made the stop and instead Ashely Tait was testing Aubry at the other end.

The middle session started in the same vein but Talbot and Jay Latulippe clashed following a face-off near the Devils net. Latulippe won the draw but put his stick between Talbot's legs to upend him. Talbot picked himself up to do the same back - with interest - and he was on his way for an early bath. But before Devils could test Sheffield Voth took his penalty. Just 26 seconds later a fluke rebound saw Aubry stranded behind his net with Sheffield seemingly certain to score but the goalie had no hesitation in cynically upending the net and promptly stopped the penalty shot. Soon afterwards linesman John Kerry departed injured so the game was completed using the two referee system.

The one-way traffic to Aubry's net continued with Tait driving the net from the left and Jason Hewitt somehow squeezing a rebound through Aubry's pads but wide of the far post. But in the dying seconds of the period it was Lehman's turn to star, as Prpich backhanded a neat pass to Jason Silverthorn close-in, but Lehman made a double-save. At the resulting face-off Steve Munn was suckered by Voth into dropping his gloves which resulted in Munn's delay of game minor.

Consequently Devils started the final session pressing hard but Lehman only had Doug MacIver's shot to save. Back at full strength, Legue danced through but Aubry made the save yet again. With Finnerty sitting a tripping penalty Devils found Prpich on the doorstep but Lehman made the big save.

Hill boarded Finnerty behind the Cardiff net and Steelers went on the powerplay. They won the face-off and Sarich's shot was blocked close-in and an almighty scramble followed, but Devils cleared their lines. Lehman passed the puck up to Randy Dagenais who found Legue picking up speed. When he hit the blue line he let fly and at long last Aubry was beaten inside his left-hand post. Six minutes later Sheppard popped up at the back post but turned a simple chance wide.

Devils continued to search for an equaliser. Silverthorn had a shot charged down by Legue who got away to drive the net but Aubry made yet another save. As Legue got to his feet he was adjudged to have kicked away Aubry's stick and took an interference penalty. Devils couldn't manage a shot on Lehman and instead Sarich found the net, as he just got away from the tiring Cardiff defence.