Storm end six-year Utilita Arena curse

Photo: Dean Woolley

Manchester Storm logged their first win in Sheffield since September 2018 with a well-earned 5-3 victory over Sheffield Steelers, giving them an important four-point weekend in the race for a playoff place.

Storm did something few sides have done against the Steelers this season, which was to lead against the Steelers twice in one period. Joe Morrow gave them the lead at 4:28, an advantage they held until Mikko Juusola's equaliser at 15:03. Cam Critchlow scored for the second straight game to put Stor, back ahead 25 seconds later, but Juusola struck again with 54 seconds left in the period to tie things up again.

Zach Sullivan scored the only goal of period two at 33:32 to put the Storm back ahead with a shot that deflected off Cole Shudra, and send the Steelers into the locker room down a goal heading into the third - a rarity this season.

Sam Tremblay put the visitors 4-2 ahead 7:44 into period three to give the league leaders a mountain to climb in the final 12 minutes. Mark Simpson scored shorthanded to reduce the arrears to just one, but despite pulling Matt Greenfield with 2:07 to play the Steelers were to come up short. Critchlow made it two consecutive two-goal games with the empty-netter at 59:19 to confirm Storm's win.