Devils log fifth home win of season over Steelers

Photo: James Assinder

Cardiff Devils ensured a perfect home record against Sheffield Steelers this season with a 6-2 win over the defending champions at a sold-out Vindico Arena.

The result leaves the Steelers five points leaders Belfast Giants having played a game more. The Steelers have 12 games remaining this season.

The Steelers, who started the better team, found the first goal of the night after Marc-Olivier Vallerand pulled off a slick backhand pass to an open Mitchell Balmas who slotted past Mac Carruth, making the score 1-0 12:56 into the opening period. The Devils had offered very little through the opening 15 minutes of the game, but were level in the 16th when Evan Mosey fired home a rebound from a Ben Almquist shot - the latter registering his first point for the Welsh side.

Cardiff took the lead in period two after Kohen Olischefski deflected a sliding puck from Zach O’Brien into the Sheffield net 10:06 into the second. However, just over a minute later the Steelers were bak level Vallerand pulled off another slick pass to this time feed Mark Simpson who tapped past a stranded Carruth.

After a tight first two periods, few would have seen the goal-rush coming in the third. Joey Martin poked a loose puck home after a scramble around the Steelers net to put the Devils back ahead with 8:13 to play. At 14:58 mark, Zach O’Brien found Cole Sanford who shot past Greenfield to make it 4-2.

Sheffield piled on the pressure in the final stages, working Carruth into some excellent stops to stop them pulling one back. O'Brien slotted into an empty net with 1:45 to go, while Cody Donaghey added insult to the Steelers' night with a sixth 82 seconds from the final buzzer.