Sheffield Steelers 3-1 Bracknell Bees

Sheffield stretch their winning run to 3 in front of 2968 fans, but Bees made it very difficult for them and a little more discipline from the visitors might have seen them snatch the points. As it was they had to kill 3 spells of 5-on-3 and could only rue their luck that Danny Meyers blistering shot cannoned back off the underside of the bar when trailing 2-0.

Joe Ciccarello continued to ice for Steelers for the injured Brent Bobyck, Bracknell at full strength.

Both goalies in fine form throughout. Bees started the brighter, helped by an early powerplay with Lukas Smital looking impressive. Greg Owen put Sheffield on the powerplay and Smital joined him for tripping (4.28) giving Steelers 63 seconds of 5-on-3 play, but only Anderson tested Stevie Lyle. Ex-Bee Ciccarello failed to net a simple chance at the back post on the 6 minute mark and seconds later Lyle pulled two saves from Jeff Christian at the same right post.

But Sheffield were soon ahead with a goal "Made in Britain", as Les Millie and Ryan Lake fed Ben Bliss and he whipped the puck home from 8 feet (7.25). When Mark Galazzi took a high sticks penalty Sheffield needed just 18 seconds of the man advantage to score, captain Dion Darling conecting on the doorstep(13.19).

Bees kept coming at Sheffield and again Smital found Platt at full stretch but Christian really should have made it three when Ciccarello found him at the right post. Then Shudra's tripping penalty saw Platt working hard to blank Bees 3 times.

Three minutes into the second Platt froze a Martin Masa shot he knew little about. A minute later Danny Meyers hit the bar from the top of the slot and it was all Bees as they chased a goal.

At 26.39 Steelers defenceman Daryl Andrews took 2+10 for checking to the head and although the penalty was killed, Mike Peron was soon in the box for slashing. This time Bees made the powerplay count, Peter Campbell stepping onto a defence-splitting pass to rifle home inside the near post (30.48) from 12 feet.

But Bees were soon in penalty trouble and when Mark Richardson joined Peter Campbell in the box at 36 minutes Steelers went 5-on-3 for 104 seconds. Lyle was not troubled, though.

Into the final session and Sheffield were the team incuring the penalties as Lake and Peron both took tripping penalties for 39 seconds of 5-on-3 but Platt had only one save to make.

At 47.43 Jeff Christian took 2+10 for checking from behind. But Martin Masa then Steve Weidlich both headed for the box and Sheffield again went 5-on-3 for 50 seconds. Lyle pulled 3 saves, all from Adams, and 2 more before parity was restored.

But from face-off on the left Darling drilled home nearside through a crowd of players (51.39) and the gap suddenly looked too big for Bees. Mike Rees and Weidlich took late penalties to make life easier for the home side, Weidlich earning a 10 minute misconduct at the same time.