Sheffield Steelers 2-1 Cardiff Devils

Both sides at full strength.

6397 see a cracking game of hockey as Sheffield snatch a win through Scott Ricci's 5-on-3 strike with 10 minutes remaining. Dave Ianazzo had just 11 seconds of his high sticks penalty remaining when Lukas Komarek tripped Jonathan Phillips, but Dan Tessier won the draw and Ricci blasted home with the goalie unsighted.

Cardiff had bossed the opening period with Dave Ianazzo firing Devils ahead early in the second period, before Ben Gustavson bagged his first of the season on the powerplay to level 20 minutes later.

With the luxury of no game tomorrow, Devils were quicker and more physical throughout but Sheffield grafted their way to both points. Devils will play much worse and win this season.

Both sides had "goals" disallowed and with both goalies in such fine form, it was no surprise the Phil Osaer and Jody Lehman took the Man of the Match awards.

An explosive start saw Devil Brad Voth and Steeler Brett Clouthier drop the gloves and go toe-to-toe for fighting majors just 2 seconds in. Voth went down early but got up as they punched their way to a standstill.

Devils bossed the opening session, quicker and much more physical. Lehman made some outstanding stops to keep the home side in the game.

Cardiff dominated the opening play without creating a chance. Steelers' Jason Hewitt failed to shoot with the first chance of the game after 3 minutes. Ex-Devil Phillips broke down the right and his drop pass to Shaun Sutter forced a good stop.

But a long pass released Nathan Rempel and going in alone he bamboozled both Lehman and himself, dragging the puck wide of Jody's left post. On the same shift Rempel's bullet shot deflected into Lehman's mask when he seemed certain to score.

Ex-Devil Phil Hill's high sticking penalty saw Devils force 5 saves, Mark Smith's left wing blast cannoning out of the goalie's shoulder. Max Birbraer got in alone and like Rempel went right, but Lehman made a pad save to freeze the puck.

Lehman produced a double save, blanking Mark Richardson from 8 feet and then stopping Gerad Adams.

Steelers got back to full strength but Cardiff kept rolling forward, Smith denied from close-range, then Ianazzo firing in from the right wing. A minute later Birbraer's right wing shot also failed to beat the home goalie.

Smith's holding penalty saw Phil Osaer make easy saves from Mark Thomas and Clouthier, Smith returning only to shoot the puck out, clearing his own end for a delay of game penalty.

Tessier's first timer from the left was padded aside before Brad Voth got away down the left and Lehman saved comfortably.

Rempel's hooking minor saw short-handed efforts from Ianazzo and Birbraer, as Steelers failed to get a single shot on goal.

Rod Sarich danced through early in the second for Clouthier to shoot from the left. Devils broke down the left wing, Ianazzo's shot bouncing down onto the goalline after striking the bar, but it came back out. The home defence scrambled to block follow up shots and Ianazzo netted past an unsighted Lehman from the right (22:19).

The lead was thoroughly desrved and Sheffield stepped up a gear, though both sides were struggling to create good chances.

The one clear chance came when Phillips fed Gustavson from behind the net but Osaer made a great stop.

With Ian Manzano sitting an interference penalty, Cardiff camped out around the home net but Lehman didn't have a save to make as 4 shots went wide or were blocked.

Sheffield were starting to get on top and in the 29th minute Phillips popped up at Cardiff's right post but couldn't divert the puck home. Nearly 2 minutes later Clouthier failed to connect on the doorstep.

30 seconds later Osaer made an amazing save from Sutter's close range shot. the rebound ended up in the net but the puck was clearly kicked in.

Ianazzo got away again to test Lehman. Russ Cowley fired in from the left after a quick pass off the boards.

Tessier's wrist shot was easily dealt with by Osaer after Paul Sample forced a stick save from the left, and Regan Darby shot the puck out for a delay of game penalty with 6 minutes before the second interval.

From the face-off Cowley shot high from low on the right and Smith fired the rebound home, but ref Moray Hanson ruled the initial shot had come off Lehman's face mask and the "goal" was not allowed.

Devils failed to test Lehman for the rest of the period and when Komarek took a tripping penalty 62 seconds into the final session, Steelers hauled themselves back on terms, Gustavson ramming the puck home on the doorstep after Osaer had saved at his right post (41:26).

Devils came straight back, Lehman producing an excellent stop from Rempel either side of shots from Ianazzo and Voth.

Osaer almost gifted Sheffield the go-ahead goal when he came out to clear up the middle of the ice and Clouthier intercepted, but his shot went wide.

At the other end Lehman produced a superb stop after poking the puck clear, only for it to fall to Voth 8 feet out.

Devils continued to press, Smith breaking through the middle but Lehman made the save and Smith put his own rebound high over the bar.

With 12 minutes left Ianazzo took a high sticks penalty tracking back from another attack. Steelers failed to get any pressure on Cardiff's goal, but when Phillips danced through he was upended by Komarek for 11 seconds of 5-on-3. Steelers won the draw and Ricci fired home hard and low across the unsighted keeper (49:59).

Cardiff struggled to regain their momentum despite Phil Hill taking a hooking penalty 150 seconds later. Cardiff had lots of pressure but Lehman had no saves to make with Ricci whisking the puck off Birbraer's toes close-in and Voth's shot from 6 feet deflected over the bar.

Back at even strength, Tyson Teplicksy's big shot rebounded to Rempel but his back-handed effort couldn't beat Lehman.

Sarich shot the puck out with 2 minutes remaining and Devils called a timeout, but the visitors couldn't find a way through despite lifting Osaer with 60 seconds left in the game.