Sheffield Steelers 5OT4 Coventry Blaze

Sheffield's first game since Andrew Luciuk left, Blaze missing ex-Steeler Marc LeFebvre (elbow), Graham Belak (suspended), Danny Meyers and Jeff Hutchins.

Topsy-turvey game where Blaze came back from 3 goals down to lead, only for Sheffield to clinch the game in the opening seconds of overtime, to give Dave Whistle a win after arriving in Sheffield yesterday. Mark Dutiaume and Evan Cheverie scored two a-piece.

4727 saw the home side establish a 3 goal lead in the opening session, as Coventry found both their penalties punished. Mark Dutiaume fired home from distance (6:07) with Pavol Mihalik sitting an interference penalty. Paul Sample buried the rebound from Jonas Lennartsson's shot (9:37) with Dan Welch off for hooking.

Blaze goalie Martin Klempa lost his stick behind his net and it was a good 90 seconds until he could retrieve it, but Sheffield could only manage one shot on goal.

But ex-Blaze goalie Jody Lehman had been by far the busier keepr, with Barrie Moore, Adam Calder and Neal Martin making him work.

Steelers killed their penalties against Jason Robinson (both). On the second Mike Peron got away up the middle to net short-handed (19:29), firing to Klempa's left.

All change in the second, as Blaze levelled the game. But they started with Ashley Tait talking his way to a 10 minute penalty for abuse of an official after Barrie Moore was penalised for hooking.

Sheffield couldn't convert their third powerplay and with Blaze continuing to press, Calder was twice denied from the right. But a goal was coming and Neal Martin was allowed to push up and fire across Lehman from left of centre (31:53).

Martin Masa pulled his marker back trying to get behind the defence and Martin was again shooting with venom on the powerplay, but both efforts deflected to safety.

With ref Andy Carson's hand raised for a holding penalty on Lennartsson, Calder netted with a rising shot (38:31) and suddenly Coventry had real hope. Just 54 seconds later Evan Cheverie arrived at Lehman's right post for a simple tap-in at the back door (39:25) and the game was tied.

Coventry opened the third in the same vein, Cheverie repeating the same move at the other post (41:23) and Sheffield looked in troule.

Calder again forced a good stop from Lehman before Sheffield pulled a goal out of nowhere, Kent Simpson firing home from the right (45:08).

From then on the game could have gone either way. Rod Sarich got in behind Blaze's defence but his backhander was turned aside. After killing a penalty on Joel Poirier, Adanm Calder burst through the middle but Lehman saved to his right at full stretch.

Mihalik's late tripping penalty (58:36) saw Sheffield call a time-out, but Klempa wasn't tested.

With overtime commencing 4-on-3, Sheffield went straight to the Coventry net and Mark Dutiaume netted with his third shot from distance to give Sheffield the extra point (60:31).