Steelers continue with shutout win in Nottingham

Photo: Panthers Images

Sheffield Steelers stayed clear at the top of the Elite League with a four-goal, shutout win over Nottingham Panthers at a sold-out Motorpoint Arena.

Brian Diffley hit the crossbar in the opening stages that were dominated by the Steelers, who were unlucky not to be ahead early. Jeremy Welsh had the Panthers' best chance to open the scoring in front of Matt Greenfield off a Jordan Kelsall pass but his shot was straight down the middle of the Steelers netminder. Sheffield went ahead at 7:46 on a 2-on-0 with Cole Shudra finding Josh Nicholls at the far post to beat Rok Stojanovič. The Panthers' Slovene goalie was difference between the home side being only one, and not more, down at the opening 20 minutes, but at the other end both Jordan Kelsall and Hugo Roy both had chances to level before the first intermission arrived.

6:18 into period two, Kevin Tansey fired home from the point after the Panthers got caught on a bad line change to put the Steelers two up. Carl Neill should have pulled one back for the home side but shot wide with the net gaping in front of him, while Rok Stojanovič stopped a Scott Allen penalty shot to prevent the Steelers going further ahead. 70 seconds later, however, Stojanovič was pulling the puck out of his net off a good finish from Patrick Watling, after which Jonathan Paredes called his timeout. Simpson shot home a loose puck at the top of the crease to put the Steelers four ahead after two periods.

The Panthers' best chance to break their duck fell to Roy with a penalty shot at 52:06, but he could only find the middle of Greenfield's jersey. Stojanovič pulled off an outstanding glove save to stop the Steelers adding a fifth, while Roy had a late chance to beat Greenfield's shutout but couldn't take advantage - and the Steelers goalie held on to log a 36-shot shutout.