EPL - Sheffield Steeldogs end barren run as Hull Pirates draw rare blank

TREBLE TROUBLE: Arnoldas Bosas blasted a hat-trick against rivals Manchester. Picture courtesy of Peter Best.

Snapping a 10-game winless streak - during which they only picked up one point - Greg Wood’s team were well worth their 8-2 victory over Roses rivals Manchester Phoenix - a team who had beaten them in the two previous meetings.

A hat-trick from Arnoldas Bosas and a double from Macauley Heywood led the way for the hosts, who had gone behind to a sixth-minute powerplay strike from Robin Kovar.

Bosas and Tomas Brcko struck to give Sheffield a first-period lead before bottom club Manchester levelled through former Steeldogs forward Edgars Bebris in the 25th minute.

But three goals in just six minutes were to decide the game, Bosas grabbing his second - this time on the powerplay - at 30.18 before Heywood made it 4-2 ahead of his team-mate’s hat-trick marker in the 37th minute.

In the third period, Ben Morgan, Ashley Calvert and Heywood with his second completed an overdue bt fully deserved win.

On a home weekend double header, however, Steeldogs couldn’t add to their previous night’s exploits when going down 5-2 to Guildford Flames.

Adrian Palak and Pavel Mrna both struck in the second period but the damage bad already been done with Guildford having raced into a 4-0 lead by the 26th minute, adding a fifth through Michal Satek shortly before the end.

For only the second time this season, Hull Pirates drew a blank, losing out 7-4 at leaders Telford on Saturdday before going down somewhat surprisingly to Swindon Wildcats 3-2 on home ice 24 hours later.