Leavens hits four in huge road win for Steelers

Photo: Al Goold

Sheffield Steelers were in no mood to celebrate retro night in Braehead with a 10-2 thrashing of Glasgow Clan at Braehead Arena.

The Steelers took the lead straight off the opening faceoff. Won by Brandon Whistle, the puck went back into the Steelers’ zone before he broke forward and worked the puck across the slot to Mikko Juusola to open the scoring with only 13 seconds played.

Robert Lachowicz and Chris Martinet had close should in around Matt Greenfield as Clan looked to hit back. A terrible turnover by Clan in their own end put the puck on the stick of Daniel Leavens to one-time home and made it 2-0 with under three minutes played.

Tyson McLellan’s nice move almost got Clan on the board but he narrowly missed the target. Clan should have got their opening goal of the night towards the end of the period, but Mitchell Heard’s shot from point-blank range was somehow stopped by Greenfield’s paddle.

That save led to the Steelers going three ahead. Clan again turned the puck over in their own zone, allowing Leavens to beat his man and fire past Landon Bow with 39 seconds remaining in the first.

Clan coach Corey Neilson opted to put Lucas Brine in net from the start of period two in an effort to shake things up. The new goalie was on hand to deny Leavens making it a hat trick after another Clan turnover, while Robert Dowd shot over on a breakaway.

Marc-Olivier Vallerand’s perfect shot into the top corner of Brine’s net made it 4-0 6:07 into period two. Mitchell Balmas’ 18th of the season came on a powerplay off Juusola’s pass to make five just past the midway point of the game.

Leavens made it a hat trick with a far-post finish off Vallerand’s pass to put the Steelers six ahead. Heard did get Clan on the board when he got on his own rebound to finally beat Greenfield, but Balmas’ second of the period put the Steelers 7-1 ahead with 4:03 remaining in the second. That lead was extended out to 8-1 by Patrick Watling 90 seconds later.

Marco De Filippo entered the visitors’ net for the final period, but he only needed to watch on as Leavens scored his fourth of the game 2:48 into the final period.

Watling made it 10-1 with 47:14 played, although Clan had the final goal of the night through Robert Lachowicz with 9:59 remaining.

The Steelers remain undefeated in Braehead since April 2022.