Sheffield Steelers 4-0 Basingstoke Bison

Steelers missing Les Millie and Stevie Duncombe.

2618 fans see Sheffield find a way to score at last after 189 minutes 27 seconds, when Erik anderson fired home on a powerplay. Anderson added a second and had a hand in both other Sheffield goals, whilst his goalie Jayme Platt posted his second successive shut-out and his third in 6 games.

This result ensures Basingstoke cannot make the end of season play-offs so London join Belfast, Cardiff, Coventry, Nottingham and Sheffield in the post season series which begins on the second weekend in March.

Sheffield dominated this game from start to finish, though youngster Shaun Thompson rang the pipework from low on the left wing 7 minutes into the final session.

Bison's man of the match Ronnie Vogel was busy and gamely turned aside 32 shots, helped by some profligacy by the home side. Jeff Christian somehow missed the rebound to Daryl Andrews' 8th minute shot from plumb in front. A minute later Gerad Adams burst down the left but his shot was comfortably saved. Another minute and Mike Peron battled his way to the goal crease but Vogel froze the puck.

With Mike Ford serving the first penalty of the night for slashing, Anderson netted from the resulting face-off on the right (15:29). Within seconds of the restart Jeff Ewasko and Mike Peron clashed before dropping the gloves and punching their way to a standstill. Both received 6 minutes each.

Early in the second period Owen Walter was unlucky to take a high stick penalty near his own net, but Vogel only had one shot to save. Shawn Maltby broke away down the right and slid the puck inside to Doug Sheppard but Platt made a good save from his first-time shot.

But there was no stopping the home side and Mike Peron fired the puck home from close-in after Vogel had made saves from Anderson and Christian (25:22).

With Ford serving another slashing penalty, Peron produced a great backhand pass but Vogel foiled Christian once again.

Duncan Dalmao forced Platt to save at full stretch on Bison's first powerplay, Marc Lefebvre serving a holding penalty.

But the game started to get niggly when Jeff Christian and Jason Norrie dropped the gloves behind the Basingstoke net for double roughing penalties each. Just 12 seconds later Mark Dutiaume and Maltby exchanged punches for more double roughing penalties. And just over a minute later Peron and Ewasko exchanged punches for delay of game penalties, with Dalmao having to be helped off the ice.

Daryl Andrews did well to stop Ewasko's right wing breakaway 3 minutes into the final session, Ewasko earning a slashing penalty in frustration. But Vogel wasn't troubled and Thompson was the player to ring the pipework.

Anderson's long pass released Peron down the left and Christian arrived 8 feet out to add the third (52:34). Within 2 minutes Maltby and Darling clashed for slashing and cross-checking penalties respectively and Norrie talkked his way to a misconduct and then a game misconduct at the same time.

With the sides skating 4-on-4 Erik Anderson netted from the left wing (55:27). Just over a minute later Christian got away down the right and placed the puck right on Peron's stick, but Peron snatched at the chance and put it wide nearside when it seemed easier to score.