Steelers power past Panthers in final period

Photo: Dean Woolley

Sheffield Steelers scored four third-period goals to make up for letting a 2-0 lead slip, and beat Nottingham Panthers 6-2 on Saturday night at the Utilita Arena.

Will Kerlin made his first start of the season for Nottingham after the Panthers announced earlier in the day that number one goalie Kevin Carr was sidelined injured.

The Steelers took full advantage of their opponents being without their usual starter and were ahead inside five minutes thanks to Antonín Bořuta's first goal for the club. Robert Dowd's shot eight seconds into a powerplay trickled over the line after Kerlin had got something but not enough on it to double the home side's lead at 17:09. 

However, Nottingham played their way back into things in period two and ended the period level. A speculative effort from Matt Lane was somehow deflected into the net by Steelers' goalie Rok Stojanovič as he attempted to deflect it out of harm's way. at 28:37. With 5:53 left in the period, Lane fired quickly off Jeremy Welsh's feed from the corner to tie the game with his second of the night.

The majority of the 8,462 breathed a huge sigh of releif when the Steelers went back ahead 3:06 into period three. An excellent pass in front from Vojta Polák set up the on-rushing Davey Phillips for the far-post finish to make it 3-2. A little over ten minutes later, a missed chance by Matthew Myers at one end was punished by Evan Mosey at the other and the Steelers were back two in front.

Marc-Olivier Vallerand's shot had too much on it for Kerlin to handle to make the score 5-2 at 58:07, while Brandon Whistle set up Jonathan Phillips for a one-timer at the back post to make it six with 1:14 left to play.