Sheffield Steelers 8-3 Newcastle Vipers

Sheffield at full strength, Newcastle missing Todd Jackson and having released Petr Kratky.

4439 saw an easy win for the home side though they were indebted to both their keepers at times. Jody Lehman made an outstanding save from Jeff Hutchins 80 seconds in and the home side went straight down the other end and scored, Jeff Legue popping the puck home (1:31) at the net. A pair of Andre Payette penalties were both punished, Doug Sheppard deflecting Rod Sarich's left point shot home (10:32) and Ashley Tait netting from the right (16:36).

When Jason Hewitt took a 2+10 for checking from behind, Colin Shields got Vipers on the board (26:56) jumping on a loose puck to blast home from close-in. But two golas in 55 seconds killed the game. First Randy Dagenais rattled a goal off the pipes (34:18) then Ryan Finnerty's cross-ice pass found Sheppard low on the right and he shot first-time across the back of the keeper. With Payette losing his cool, his third penalty of the night brought another goal, this time Jeremy Cornish ramming the puck home from close-in (39:50) after Finnerty passed the puck out from behind the net.

Steelers came out for the final period with their back-up keeper Davey Lawrence between the pipes and he was soon fishing the puck out of the net as Colin Shields doubled his and Vipers' tally for the night (43:03). Ben Storey closed the gap further with Lawrence unsighted (51:08) but that's as close as the visitors could get. Warren Tait (55:06) and Jason Hewitt (58:13) rounded off the scoring for the night.

How different it could have been though if Jody Lehman hadn't blanked Jeff Hutchins 80 seconds in. David Longstaff provided the pass out from behind the net and Hutchins stepped up to first-time his shot, but Lehman stood tall. And Steelers speed brought early dividends as they created space for Legue to net in front of Ryan MacDonald's right post. It was all Sheffield and although Vipers pressed when Mark Thomas sat a delay of game penalty for firing the puck out, Lehman had no saves to make as Storey and Richie Thornton had shots blocked.

Vipers killed Hutchins' penalty with ease. Payette headed after and Derek Campbell had a shot turned away on a short-handed break, but Joey Talbot forced a glove save at the other end. Sarich fired in from the left and Sheppard deflected it home. Back came Vipers, Payette, Ben Campbell and Storey all forcing saves. But Payette took a high sticks penalty and a cross-ice pass gave Ashley Tait acres of space to add the third.

90 seconds later Longstaff again fished the puck out to Hutchins who was even closer in when he unleashed his shot, but somehow Lehman kept it out. MacDonald showed he could shut the door as well in the final minute of the period, as Ashley Tait attempted to waltz round him but his shot deflected high over the net.

Sheffield started the second on top and MacDonald was kept busy. But Hewitt's cross-checking penalty gave Vipers a man advantage. Payette shot and Lehman made the save, but Shields reacted first to whip the puck home.

Back came Sheffield, Finnerty and Talbot both being denied close-in. Hutchins' roughing penalty (after a challenge at the boards which left Thomas on the deck) saw MacDonald make two saves. But just 18 seconds after Hutchins returned Dagenais' shot from distance beat the unsighted keeper. There was little MacDonald could do when Finnerty shaped to shoot from the left but instead found Sheppard on the far side and he fired home behind the keeper.

Two minutes later Hutchins went across the front of the net but Lehman made a sprawling stop to his right. Instead another Payette penalty found Cornish adding his name to the scoresheet with MacDonald again not helped by his defence.

Sheffield iced their back-up keeper Davey Lawrence for the final period and Vipers threw everything at the Sheffield goalie to try and find a way back into the game. Payette was blanked but Shields scored from close-in and only a great save denied Storey from 10 feet soon afterwards. Vipers continued to press hard and Sarich reacted to an elbow to the head from Payette, the pair going toe-to-toe for 5 minute majors in addition to their minor penalties. Storey jinked his way in and Lawrence made another big save, with Ian Manzano whipping the loose puck off Dean Holland's toes at the net. Thomas headed to the box and Hutchins had two bites at the keeper's left post but Lawrence stood tall. Storey had 2 more shots saved and Pavel Gomenyuk also tried his luck before Thomas returned.

With 9 minutes left Storey found a way through at last, firing through a crowded area. Sheffield rallied briefly but Lawrence was again making saves from close-in as Vipers crashed the net chasing rebounds in trademark style. However all that pressure left gaps for the home side to skate into and two breakaways brought goals. First Jason Hewitt pushed down the left and his pass inside was despatched past MacDonald by Warren Tait. Then Sarich skated through the middle, laying the puck off to Hewitt who skated in from the right and wrapped the puck behind the keeper.

With just 3 seconds on the clock, Hutchins and Cornish went toe-to-toe for more fighting majors.