Sheffield 3-2 Coventry, crowd 3840

Coventry making their competitive debut at the Hallam FM Arena and their hard-working, disciplined approach might well have brought more reward. But for all the huff-and-puff around the home net, it was Sheffield who produced the biggest openings and three very good goals.

Ashley Tait forced three saves in the opening minutes, before Dutiaume netted with Steelers first shot on goal (6.24). Dutiaume lost his marker in the right corner and drove straight to the net to hammer a bullet past Lehman.

Chances came at both ends before Ruggles received the puck in acres of space in front of Dopson's left post. He fed Tait arriving in the slot but the GB international shot wide.

With both defences busy the penalty-free first closed with Tait forcing a fine glove save from the left wing.

Ruggles opened the second forcing another glove save. Five minutes in Ellis arrived on the doorstep and hit the join of left post and cross-bar but it stayed out. Just over two minutes later Darling fed Shudra on the left wing and he slotted an inch-perfect pass through the defender for Ellis all alone to net low (26.51) and Sheffield were cruising.

Another two minutes and Dopson pulled a huge step from Ruggles close-in to Dopson's left, with Steelers' Gerad Adams taking two minors before the restart. Five times Dopson turned aside shots.

Then O'Brien tangled with Dutiaume for a holding minor and at the stoppage earned further penalties for a 4 minute Sheffield powerplay. Lehman made three stops before DeWaele and then Lefebvre headed for the box, Blaze getting 48 seconds of 4-on-3. Schlender took full advantage netting to the right of an unsighted Dopson (36.34).

Shudra tested Lehamn then Carpenter popped up in front and Dopson made a superb pad save low to his right. Lehman was busy again before the buzzer.

Ruggles twice tested Dopson in the third. Then from a face-off on the right O'Brien scored from the left wing through a crowded zone (46.10).

Play was becoming increasingly frantic at both ends. Six minutes after the goal, Lake burst into the zone, Lehman dived forward but Bliss got there, lobbed the goalie and Lake at the far post was unable to bury the puck under pressure from the visiting defence.

Suddenly Dutiaume burst through in loads of space and netted a screamer to clinch the win (56.54).

Blaze got their goalie off for an extra skater inside the last minute but couldn't force any real pressure on the unflappable Dopson.