Sheffield Steelers 2-1 Nottingham Panthers

Warren Tait returns from injury for Sheffield wearing a full face mask, Panthers gave debuts to Jon Coleman and Eric Nelson.

5868 saw Sheffield skate to a narrow win in a cracking atmosphere despite being heavily outshot 45-27 not least due to their own discipline. Joey Talbot rifled home a rebound (4:22) with Corey Neilson sitting his first penalty of the night and the home side doubled the lead when Nottingham blew 92 seconds of 5 on 3 and Steve Munn stepped out from the box to go in on Tom Askey. Askey made a double save but Jeff Legue netted from an acute angle on the right wing (23:15). But another 5 on 3 for the visitors saw Kevin Bergin bury the puck high after Jody Lehman had already made 3 saves (35:41). Both sides missed great chances to score more, with the keepers deservedly taking the man of the match awards. In the opening period Askey twice got across his goal to deny Finnerty and Ashley Tait, with Doug Sheppard hitting the near post. In the final session Johan Molin could only gasp as Lehman somehow did the same stopping his rising shot, but had only himself to blame when he fanned on a great chance in the opening period when right on the doorstep.

In the opening minute Finnerty's shot was padded to Jason Hewitt close in, but he blasted wide. Panthers broke away and Hewitt took a tripping penalty, which Sheffield killed with ease. By contrast Neilson's holding penalty saw Askey save from Rod Sarich, then with the puck pinging around as shots were blocked, the puck reached Talbot and he beat a surprised Askey.

Ashley Tait's slashing penalty saw saves from Steve Pelletier and Patrick Wallenburg, but Steelers were soon back on the powerplay when Neilson took a second holding penalty. But Askey wasn't tested and instead Wallenburg went round the back of the net and fed the puck across the crease to Molin who missed the puck completely.

Neither goalie was seriously tested again until Matt Myers flattened a home defender behind Lehman's net for a tripping penalty. Finnerty popped up at the back post but Askey flung himself to his right and made the save. Then he did the same to Ashley Tait with Doug Sheppard striking the post with the rebound.

In the opening minute of the middle session Sheffield ran into penalty problems, and from that point on they slowly lost their discipline. Ashley Tait took a slashing penalty and Lehman saved from Jon Coleman before Munn joined him for tripping. Sean McAslan and Neilson were blanked before Tait returned . After Bergin's weak shot was easily turned aside, a long clearance found Munn returning behind the Panthers defence. He took the puck right up to Askey's goal forcing a double save, but Legue hammered the puck back from the right boards and it crept in.

Askey again shut the door when Randy Dagenias fired in from the blueline and Ashley Tait got to the rebound close-in.

Munn's tripping penalty brought just two saves from Lehman, but just 33 seconds after killing that penalty Finnerty was heading back to the box for hooking. Pelletier's shot from distance was going wide but Lehman played the puck, lost control and in an almighty pile-up in front of the net Legue took a 2+10 for checking from behind as Eric Nelson really should have buried the loose puck.

This produced another 85 seconds of 5 on 3. Molin fired into Lehman's face mask from the right then three times Neilson belted in shots before the puck popped out to Bergin low on the right. He netted high over the prostrate keeper, just 3 seconds before Finnerty was due to return.

Nottingham clearly had the momentum now, but Lehman kept making the saves until Neilson obligingly took another penalty late in the period, this time for holding. On the powerplay Sheppard was blanked close-in and Tessier's left wing shot rebounded to Finnerty who somehow put the chance wide. But the period ended with Nottingham having scored just once from 22 shots.

Sheffield hadn't learned their lesson in the final period and again Munn headed for the box for high sticks in the opening minute. Only McAslan tested Lehman though, and Jonathan Phillips might have done better at the other end as he went across the front of the Nottingham goal, but Askey was not to be beaten.

Lehman did well to keep out McAslan's deflection of Pelletier's shot, then Neilson blasted wide from 8 feet. Two more saves arrived with Tessier sitting his hooking penalty, but 2 minutes later Sheffield were back in the box, this time Ashley Tait taking a hooking penalty. Wallenburg threaded the puck across from the left to Molin on the right and he fired at the near top corner, but Lehman made an amazing rolling save.

Pelletier took a holding penalty to leave the sides 4 on 4, but back at full strength Finnerty burst up the middle and McAslan took a hooking penalty, only for Finnerty to then get himself a holding penalty before play stopped. Sarich arrived just in front of Askey's left post but again the big keeper kept it out.

Panthers pressed hard but some determined defending was blocking their eforts. With less than 2 minutes remaining Finnerty took a 2+10 for checking from behind and Nottingham called a timeout. Play resumed near the Sheffield net and McAslan's shot from close-in on the left flew off Lehman's shoulder. McAslan was blanked again and Askey was pulled, but Sheffield held out. Nottingham still haven't beaten Sheffield in the league since Boxing Day 2005.

The sides meet again in a fortnight's time in Nottingham, then 4 days later play the second leg of the Challenge Cup Final in Nottingham with Panthers holding a 6-3 advantage from the first leg. Those games should be something special...