Sheffield Steelers 5-7 Belfast Giants

3420 saw Steelers take the lead 3 times, but Giants recovered from 3-1 down in a bad-tempered final period, thanks to a masterclass in accurate shooting. JP Morin, Jason Ruff and Curtis Huppe bagged a brace a-piece with Mark Dutiaume finding the net as Sheffield withdrew Jody Lehman for the second time. Shaun Sutter hit a brace for the home side.

Giants went ahead for the first time with Huppe's penalty shot (50:06) after a Sheffield defenceman had lain on the puck in the crease. Huppe went in close and back-handed the puck over Lehman's right shoulder for that 5-4 lead.

Just over 2 minutes later Jason Hewitt clashed with Marc Levers and Leigh Jamieson was thrown out for third man in. But Sheffield failed to capitalise on their powerplay and Dan Tessier's tripping penalty allowed Huppe to net the game winner with a bullet from the left (55:18).

Sheffield withdrew their goalie and Tessier's pass to the far post was depstached by Shawn Maltby (59:41). But after winning the face-off, Maltby lost the puck to Dutiaume as Lehman skated off once again and "Dutes" fired into the empty net (59:48).

With ref Nigel Boniface calling the game tightly, the penalties flowed all night. Rod Sarich's high sticking penalty saw plenty of pressure from the visitors, but no saves required from Lehman and as Sheffield broke up the ice Giants took 2 penalties as Ruff went for hooking and Jeff Hutchins for holding the stick.

This gave Sheffield 52 seconds of 4-on-3 followed by 68 seconds of 5-on-3. Shaun Sutter was blanked on the doorstep, and with Regan Darby firing in from the top of the slot Minard and his defence were working hard. With Sarich back on the ice Scott Ricci hit a bullet and Sutter got the all importanat deflection (7:25) to open the scoring.

Before the game could restart Tessier and George Awada took cross-checking penalties and Morin joined them for roughing, so Sheffield stayed 5-on-3 for another 18 seconds. Only Shane Johnson tested Minard, though. Back at even strength, Minard turned aside Hewitt's shot and Giants swept to the other end, Sheffield twice scrambling the puck clear from Lehman's initial save, after first Huppe and then Morin shot from the left.

Brett Clouthier took 2 successive penalties but Giants again failed to test Lehman. Tait's late holding penalty saw Giants level. Dutiaume's screened shot was well saved but Giants kept pressing and when Awada fed the puck out from behind the net, Morin pushed up to hit a screamer beyond Lehman (19:53).

Steelers pulled a goal back in the opening seconds of the middle period. Sutter drove the net but Minard blanked the forward at his left post. The puck came back out to Ian Manzano who fired home past a bemused Minard (20:17).

Two more Giants penalties saw Sheffield continue to press, put rarely look like getting another. Back at even strength, Huppe arrived inside the left slot and Lehman did well to stop the first time shot.

Mark Morrison's holding penalty was followed within 15 seconds by 2 separate penalties folowing the face-offs. First Maltby took an interference penalty and then Dutiaume was sitting a tripping call.

With the sides now 4-on-3, slick passing around Giants net saw Sarich score from distance (29:50) and Sheffield were looking comfortable.

Phil Hill's holding penalty saw Giants again fail to test Lehman. With 22 seconds left Manzano took a charging penalty after putting Todd Kelman into the boards, but Giants couldn't get any shots away and Awada was punished for holding and the powerplay was lost.

But with 31 seconds of Manzano's penalty remaining, Darby took a holding penalty and Giants were back on the powerplay, this time 4-on-3. Lehman made a big save from Morin and Huppe fired wide. Tessier ended up in a heap in the corner pursuing the puck but this time the ref's arm stayed down and Morin stepped up to drill another shot beyond Lehman (33:57), much to the disgust of the home fans.

Lehman made a smart stop from Shawn Skiehar whilst Minard turned aside Darby's backhand effort from close-in on the right.

The third period started with Minard turning aside Hill's shot from 10 feet after a crisp pass off the boards, but it was Giants who found the net. Dutiaume behind the goal found Huppe on the right. Ruff re-directed the shot home (43:47), and the game was level at 3-3.

Another rash of penalties as first Roman Gavalier (holding), then Skiehar (high sticks) headed for the box 29 seconds apart, but Tessier followed 5 seconds later (holding the stick) to leave the sides 4-on-3. It took Sutter 20 seconds to restore Steelers' lead, stabbing home Maltby's right wing pass on the doorstep (45:03).

Soon after the restart Hutchins took a misconduct for comments to the ref and he wasn't alone for long as the visitors were penalised for too many men, Morrison sitting the penalty. On the powerplay Sutter blasted a golden chance wide, but then forced a fine save with a first-time shot from the left.

Darby's holding penalty saw saves from Kelman and Huppe, before Tessier was back in the box (high sticks) to give Belfast 36 seconds of 5-on-3. However coach Courtenay delayed his players lining up and was promptly assessed a delay of game penalty.

But that didn't stop Giants scoring 21 seconds later, as Ruff re-directed Morin's shot from in front of the left post(48:53).

Belfast were now doing all the pressing. Lehman saved Ruff's right wing shot and seconds later Dutiaume skated in across the goal from right to left. Lehman made the save and with the puck loose Huppe went for it. So did the nearest defenceman, and the puck ended up under the player with Huppe and Ruff trying to poke the puck home.

Huppe despatched the resulting penalty shot in some style (50:06).

It was all Belfast now with Lehman making further saves from Dutiaume, Ruff and Awada.

Then Hewitt clashed with Levers and Jamieson dived in. All 3 got roughing penalties, with Jamieson ejected for third man in and Brett Clouthier also taking a misconduct.

Darby, Sarich and Sutter all forced saves, but just after Belfast returned to full strength Tessier took a tripping penalty and 11 seconds later Giants added their sixth. This time it was Huppe firing a bullet from the left wing (55:18).

Morin's hooking penalty saw Minard make a solitary save from Jonathan Phillip's right wing pass/shot, and as the seconds ticked down Sheffield looked to have blown it. Maltby did find the net with just 19 seconds remaining, but Dutiaume scored again after losing the intial face-off to Maltby.