Sheffield Steelers 3 Belfast Giants 2

Sheffield missing Steve Ellis but add Les Millie. Belfast missing Shane Johnson.

3870 saw Sheffield squeeze past Belfast despite Colin Ryder's best efforts, the first time Giants have lost to Sheffield this season.

Sheffield started the brighter but Giants began to test Dopson on their first powerplay. A big scuffle in the Belfast zone just before 7 minutes resulted in Darling and Schulte dropping the gloves and punching themselves to a standstill and they both earned 5+game penalties with 5 other minors called at the same time. Quality shots on the goalies were few and far between during the first.

Seven seconds into the second the sides were 4-on-4 and Giants created the chances but Jamieson took a tripping minor for 34 seconds of 4-on-3 play. Within a minute Ward had raced away short-handed and netted with ease for the lead (22:16). With the sides back at 4-on-4 Bobyck fired in from the left and Lefebvre at the near post squeezed the puck in (30:27). Ruff and Berens went to the box for 87 seconds of 5-on-3 but Giants survived. However Dutiuame danced through the middle to shoot between Ryder's legs to put Sheffield ahead (30:27) Dopson pulled good saves from Curt Bowen, Berens and Ruff as the middle session drew to a close.

Early in the final period Bolibruck took a hooking penalty in his own zone. Giants struggled to create chances. Dopson came wide of his net to clear and ended up flat on his back after a Giant appeared to collide with him after the goalie had played the puck. Hanson's hand stayed down and Kelman fired the into the empty net (42:02). Sheffield weren't happy but kept their cool and upped the pressure at the other end. Ryder produced a string of stops, the pick of the bunch a triple stop from Anderson, Irving and Anderson again.

Just as it seemed this might not be Sheffield's night Steelers cleared their zone and Bobyck raced away to score shooting through the goalie's legs (57:16). Belfast lifted Ryder with 44 seconds left but despite several scrambles around Sheffield's net, Dopson didn't appear to make a save.