Sheffield Steelers 3-1 Nottingham Panthers

Sheffield missing Jason Hewitt, Nottingham missing Patrik Wallenburg.

After 3669 saw Sheffield beat Belfast in an end-of-season skate last night, the 5458 who saw Sheffield record their 6th win of the season against their keenest rivals got much better value. Definitely no end-of-season feeling to this one as both sides tuned up for the play-offs. After a scoreless opening session in which Jody Lehman made a stand-out save to deny Danny Meyers, Sheffield captain Jonathan Phillips buried an identical chance high to Tom Askey’s right (24:41). Ryan Shmyr bundled home the puck on the doorstep (43:28) from Eric Nelson’s left wing shot, but Doug Sheppard won the game netting at the back post (54:35). Ashley Tait fired into the empty net (59:43) after Nottingham withdrew Askey for the extra skater in a desperate attempt to level.

These sides went out at full speed from the off, with the game over 4½ minutes old before the first stoppage. From the face-off Ryan Finnerty broke down the left and Tom Askey padded aside his shot.

With Mark Levers sitting a holding penalty, Joey Talbot put a great chance wide before Finnerty got close-in at the back post, but Askey shut the door. Just after Levers returned Talbot fired in a fierce shot from 12 feet into Askey’s chest. Seconds later Levers clashed with Finnerty and the pair sat a roughing and fighting penalty a-piece.

Mark Richardson found Jody Lehman’s glove from the left wing then just after the mid-point of the period Askey was making another stop from a right wing shot. Panthers picked up the loose puck and Steve Pelletier skated down the right firing high into Lehman’s chest which he caught comfortably. That didn’t stop Ryan Shmyr going for the non-existent loose puck and both Shmyr and Randy Dagenais sat roughing minors whilst Jeff Legue sat Lehman’s slashing penalty.

On the powerplay Kevin Bergin went from right to left across the Sheffield crease but Lehman poke-checked the puck to safety. Just as the powerplay ended Ian Manzano fired the puck out for a delay of game penalty. 70 seconds into that one Danny Meyers popped up dead centre 6 feet out but Lehman gloved his shot.

Back at full strength Bergin went up the right, finding Johan Molin who in turn found James Ferrara close in on the left, but the youngster fluffed his shot.

As the game got chippy Molin and Dagenais headed to the box. No saves for either goalie and 10 seconds after they returned Matt Myers took a holding penalty, which gave Rod Sarich a chance to test Askey.

The period ended with Panthers pressing the Sheffield goal and Phillips took a holding penalty thwarting the attack.

Panthers were unable to test Lehman after the interval until Dagenais forced a glove save at the other end. The visitors came back down the ice and Molin was blocked by the defence on the doorstep, before Sean McAslan forced a save from the left wing.

No further chances until three minutes later when Ashley Tait’s pass from beyond the goal-line found Jonathan Phillips who netted high blocker side.

Two minutes later Molin fired into Lehman’s chest and another two minutes on the goalie did well to turn aside Myers' shot from close-in on the right.

Pelletier’s interference penalty saw Talbot deflect wide at the left post before Askey gloved Dan Tessier’s shot from low on the right, then McAslan broke away to keep Lehman busy.

Tessier’s hooking penalty saw Askey making the only save, Dagenais’s shot almost rebounding nicely for him to follow up. Back at full strength Ashley Tait pulled the puck down and ghosted inside for a glorious chance only to shoot wide.

As the momentum went out of the game, Sheppard and McAslan both forced saves through traffic ahead of the second interval.

After a slow start the final period burst into life when Shmyr grabbed the equaliser. McAslan beat Finnerty at the face-off and although Nelson’s first shot was blocked, he followed up as Shmyr crashed the net and Lehman was beaten at last.

Molin’s tripping penalty was killed easily enough and Askey had no save to make until Steve Munn fired in from the left, back at even strength.

Eight minutes in, a long pass released Legue in on goal. He went right and Askey shut the door, also denying a follow-up wrap-around from the same player soon afterwards.

Shmyr earned himself a misconduct after a Nottingham player was left prostrate centre-ice and no penalty was assessed. Nelson fired in from the left once again and Phillips broke away up the right to force another stop.

Munn took a 2+10 checking to the head penalty at his own end but Panthers were unable to test Lehman. At the other end Corey Neilson and Phillips clashed for coincidental minors and as Munn’s minor wound down, Pelletier at long last forced a save.

Two minutes later Sheppard bagged the game winner, getting on the end of a drilled pass from low on the right. The visitors couldn’t get any shots on Lehman until Rob Dowd took a tripping penalty, and then the only save came from the face-off as Nelson kept the keeper on his toes.

Back at full strength Bergin’s right wing shot was gloved but the home side continued to look comfortable. With 80 seconds left Molin’s shot from 10 feet was gloved and although he reached the loose puck, the defenceman blocked a follow-up effort.

Panthers pulled Askey with just under a minute left, but Phillips got up the left and passed across to Legue who had all the time in the world to shoot from 12 feet, only to miss the puck. But Panthers' attempt to clear the puck fell to Ashley Tait who made no mistake.