Maximum return for Steelers enhanced by new league scoring record for Tait

DESPITE some late, unwanted shoot-out drama it turned out to be a weekend to celebrate for Sheffield Steelers on several levels.

Head coach Ryan Finnerty had gone into the weekend boasting that his team could handle the big occasion as they faced two heavyweight clashes against Elite League rivals Nottingham Panthers and Belfast Giants.

On both nights the Steelers delivered, edging out Nottingham at the National Ice Centre on Saturday before heading home to hold their nerve in a penalty shoot-out to defeat defending league champions Belfast Giants 5-4.

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To make it an even more memorable 48 hours, Steelers’ experienced forward Ashley Tait became the league’s all-time scoring leader after two points in Nottingham took him past the previous record held by his former Coventry Blaze team-mate Dan Carlson.

Tait’s record now sees him having 512 points – including 191 goals – from 481 games.

The weekend had started in perfect fashion for the Steelers, with Jason Hewitt – assisted by Tait – opening the scoring in the 15th minute in a hectic encounter in Nottingham.

Further goals came from Jeff Legue at 24.54 before Tait lit up the lamp with his record-breaking goal just under 10 minutes later.

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But the home side clawed their way back into the game to set up a frantic finish when Matthew Myers fired home on the powerplay at 44.26. And although Eric Werner made it a one-goal game at 58.06, the home side just fell short.

Last night saw the Steelers race into a 4-1 lead before the halfway point against Belfast through goals from Rod Sarich, Tait, Jeff Legue and Drew Fata.

But the Giants took the game into overtime and then a shoot-out after Scott Champagne, Noah Clarke, and Sam Roberts found the net to add to Gregory Stewart’s fourth-minute strike.

Goals from Colin Shields and Legue in the shoot-out proved enough to secure the extra point for Steelers and keep them top of the overall league standings.

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Hull Stingrays took three points from their weekend double header against Edinburgh Capitals.

Dominic Osman struck a hat-trick in Saturday night’s 6-3 home win, with Matty Davies, Janis Ozolins and player-coach Sylvain Cloutier also on target.

Last night’s return match at Murrayfield, however, saw them denied on a shoot-out, settling for one point in a 4-3 defeat.