Game Summary
Playing under CHL rules in anticipation of their European adventure, the Steelers came out victorious over the Cardiff Devils on the road this evening with a convincing five to two win.
Coming from behind, goals from Mikko Juusola (x2), Colton Saucerman, Dominic Cormier and Brien Diffley saw off the Devils in what was a high-tempo and physical game.
The Steelers will now meet the Devils again tomorrow night back at Ice Sheffield in another pre-season encounter as the CHL and proper season quickly approaches.
First Period [1-0]
The Devils up by one after twenty minutes as a fast paced first period saw the Devils lead thanks to a powerplay effort by Hunter Shinkaruk. A period in which the Devils out shot the Steelers by ten to seven.
It was Devils netminder, Mac Carruth with the first save of the game as Brien Diffley brought the puck out of his own zone and was found again at the blue line as his effort was gloved down by Carruth.
Andrew MacWilliam then took a linking to Joel Janatuinen with two big hits on the Steelers Finnish forward. The second at the Devils blue line which took Janatuinen a while to recover from but headed to the bench under his own steam.
The Steelers came close to taking the lead through Marco Vallerand who found space in the slot to take aim but could only find the crossbar as a ping rung around the Vindico Arena.
Twelve minutes gone and it was time for the first powerplay of the game which went in the favour of the Devils as Diffley was called for holding his man behind the goal of Matt Greenfield. Only 23 seconds later at (12.35) and the Devils were on the board through Shinkaruk who looked to send a slap-pass across the blue paint of Greenfield, only to find a wicked deflection off Steelers #12, Daniel Ciampini who left Greenfield with no chance. Under CHL rules being played to give Steelers practice for their European trip, the Devils continued on the powerplay which was seen off by the Steelers.
The Steelers then got their own chance on the powerplay in the seventeenth minute as Jarrod Gourley was shown to the box for interference on Mark Simpson looking to power his way through to Carruth’s goal. After a Saucerman shot was gloved down once again by Carruth, it was Greenfield who was called on again as the Devils broke two on one after a no-call at the Devils blue line on Leavens who took a stick to the face.
The Devils then killing off the remaining penalty as they took a one goal lead into the second period.
Second Period [2-2]
Another all action twenty minutes in the second period as the scores were levelled up at two each with the Steelers taking the lead at one point.
And what a goal it was from the Steelers to open their account and level the game for the first time early in the period with (21.03) showing on the clock. A lovely lay off at the Devils blue line by Juusola to Watling was returned with aplomb to the tape of Juusola who fired high above Carruth into the top of the goal.
Miceli then nearly made it two for the Steelers after his tip from a Saucerman slap-pass just went over the crossbar of the Devils goal. That was equalled by the Devils shortly afterwards when the puck was rebounded up and onto the top of Greenfield’s goal as the play seemed to stop for a few second as the players searched for the puck.
Coach Fox and the Steelers bench were then incensed as the Steelers headed onto their second penalty kill of the contest when they were called for too many men. The replays showing the sixth skater just leaving the ice but luckily it was killed off with no damage. The Steelers somehow ending up four on one at one point when the man left the box, but the play broke down as the puck ended up in the skates of Juusola.
The lead for the Steelers coming at (28.04). Patrick Watling with his second assist of the night and another gorgeous feed as he held onto the puck and backhanded into an open slot to find Colton Saucerman who fired his one timer above the catcher of Carruth.
Joel Janatuinen certainly going to be feeling it tomorrow morning as he took his third big hit of the game as Gourley this time stepped up to finish his it at the Devils blue line.
(35.17) and the Devils were back level after Greenfield made another couple of great saves. The Steelers getting caught on a two on one breakaway as the impressive Bayley Harewood found Ryan Barrow at the back post and he made no mistake with the finish.
Daniel Ciampini with the best chance of the last five minutes as he was sent one on one with Carruth with a nice stretch pass but was unable to find the finish five-hole on Carruth.
The teams heading into the final period all square.
Third Period [2-5]
It was all Steelers in the third as they scored three unanswered to come away with another convincing pre-season victory and their first away from home.
Another early goal in a period timed at (41.48) with Dominic Cormier stepping up on the play to pick up a loose puck on a broken play at the Devils blue line and found time to pick his spot and fire a perfect wrister above the glove of Carruth. The goal coming four on four as both teams had a man in the box.
That was before another huge hit by MacWilliam, luckily for Janatuinen, this one on his Finnish colleague Huttula before the teams returned to full strength.
Another Finn involved in the fourth goal for the Steelers as Mikko Juusola picked up his second of the night and what a finish it was as he used his spectacular speed to get in and around the Devils defence and puck handle around the out-stretched stick of Carruth to fire home into the empty net. Goal timed at (44.15).
The Steelers continued to pile the pressure on the Devils with efforts from the blue line and a Vallerand effort from the slot which was sent high and wide with a stick in the lane just as the last second.
Fifth and final goal for the Steelers timed at (50.35). Another beautiful goal from the visitors with Saucerman, Juusola and Leavens going tic-tac-toe with Leavens firing home as Carruth was left with no chance. Carruth would later leave the game struggling with what looked to be a knock to the ankle.
And that was all she wrote for this one as the Steelers headed back to Sheffield with a record of two and one in pre-season as they return to Ice Sheffield tomorrow night to take on the Cardiff Devils again. See you there!
Man of the Match awards on the night presented to Mikko Juusola for the Steelers and Bayley Harewood for the Devils.
📸 Rebecca Brain