Sheffield Steelers 5-0 Belfast Giants

Giants missing Paul Deniset and Andrew Martin.

3729 saw Jody Lehman record his second successive shutout and his fourth of this campaign as Steelers won handsomely against a Giants side who tired badly. This was the Yorkshire side's first success against the Giants at the fifth attempt to go 4 points clear at the top of the table. The sides next meet in Belfast on 30th December.

Captain Jonathan Phillips edged the home side in front with 7 seconds remaining in the opening session (19:53) from Rod Sarich's pass. Sarich then double the lead (30:48), backhanding the puck home over Stevie Lyle's shoulder whilst Steelers were short-handed with Brad Cruickshank sitting an interference penalty. But at this stage Giants were still in the game. All that changed with 3 goals from 4 shots in the final period. Scott Basiuk hit a first-timer from the left and Joey Talbot deflected it home (43:15), Doug Sheppard danced round Stevie Lyle (45:51) and Jeff Legue hit another first-timer (46:40) to seal the win. Giants immediately replaced Lyle with Nathan Craze but the damage was done. In truth a second game in as many nights whilst short-benched was too much against the table-topping home team who were fully rested.

A cagey opening period where the number of blocked shots out-numbered the saves at both ends. Mark Morrison fired the puck out for an early delay of game penalty but only Rob Dowd tested Lyle shooting from the right. Three minutes after returning to full strength, George Awada's pass from the boards to Evan Cheverie at the net saw Lehman make the save.

Another three minutes and Ryan Finnerty low behind the net slipped the puck out to Jason Hewitt 6 feet out, but the forward failed to control it and Lyle was able to clear. But Sheffield were pressing now and Cruickshank got away up the left, finding the on-rushing Dowd on the far wing but Lyle saved well.

With chances few and far between, Bobby Robins' speculative shot from the right boards was tipped aside and Awada took an interference penalty as Sheffield broke away. The home side exerted pressure on the Giants but before they could fire in a shot Finnerty took a high sticks penalty. No shots on the 4 on 4 play but as Awada returned Sheppard's pass from the left found Joey Talbot arriving at the far post, but Lyle wasn't to be beaten. With Giants now on the powerplay Tyler Howells found Steve Thornton at the net but he couldn't make it count with Mark Thomas taking a slashing penalty at the same time. This gave the visitors 37 seconds of 5 on 3. Colin Shields forced a save from the left wing but otherwise the home side killed the penalties comfortably.

In the final minute of the period Jonathan Phillips shot from distance but it was easily saved and Giants took the play to Sheffield. But Sarich broke away up the right and with Phillips in time and space inside him, got the puck across for the skipper to first-time high into the net to break the deadlock.

Early in the middle session Thornton was again thwarted at the net. Talbot took a soft hooking penalty but Giants couldn't make any headway and instead it was Cruickshank forcing a save from low on the right. David Phillips eventually tested Lehman following a face-off but back at full strength it was Cruickshank again forcing the save, attempting a wrap-around at the left post. Two minutes later Phillips allowed Finnerty's pass to travel inside to Hewitt but another good save from Lyle kept Giants in the game.

Paul Sample's hooking penalty saw Sheffield pressing, but 20 seconds later Cruickshank took an interference penalty at the Belfast net. Skating 4 on 4 Dowd forced a save from the right wing. With Sample returning Belfast went on a brief powerplay only for Sarich to go on a mazey skate. Finding himself 10 feet out he surprised Lyle, backhanding the puck high into the net.

Two minutes later Sheppard arrived on the blind side to first-time the puck, but Lyle made another good stop. Three minutes later with a delayed penalty against Cheverie for hooking, Legue went down the right getting low behind the goal-line before dropping the puck back to Talbot but again Lyle stood tall. Lyle didn't have a shot to save on the powerplay or when Malcolm MacMillan took a high sticks penalty late in the period.

But with Belfast creating very little despite all their hard work the writing was on the wall and they ran out of gas in the final session. Howell playing up front was blanked close-in and soon afterwards Sheffield helped themselves at the other end. Ashley Tait blasted wide from the right wing and Basiuk hit the loose puck first-time from the far side with Talbot getting enough on the shot to deflect it home. Belfast went straight down the other end to pressure Sheffield's goal but Lehman froze the puck in the scramble.

After a Steelers' attack broke down Dowd wrestled the puck off Giants' defence when they looked certain to clear and found Sheppard all alone on the far side. The assistant coach had all the time in the world to calmly step round Lyle and net. And with the home fans in raptures, Legue blasted the loose puck beyond Lyle to put the result beyond doubt.

Lyle was swapped for Craze who still had a couple of useful stops to make before the end. But really the home side were more bothered about getting Lehman the shutout he deserved. Thornton, Shields, Cheverie, MacMillan and Robins all tried to get Belfast on the board but it was not to be.

Don't miss the return in Belfast on 30th December when Belfast should be back at full strength and looking for revenge.