Saturday review: Sheffield Steelers edged out but Sheffield Steeldogs and Leeds Knights prevail

Steelers had edged out their fiercest rivals 4-3 in overtime on home ice a week ago, but were made to pay when going down 3-2 at the National Ice Centre. Aaron Fox’s team will now prepare to host Fife Flyers in Elite League action on Sunday (4pm face-off).

The Steelers had fallen behind in Nottingham to a fifth-minute power play strike from Mathieu Tousignant, the man advantage coming about after Steelers’ Finnish debutant Matias Sointu had been called for interference.

But it wasn’t long before the Steelers were level after Justin Hodgman redirected Sam Jones’s shot from the point at 9.18, which is how it stayed until just after the halfway mark when Martin Látal broke through to score shorthanded for the visitors.

Early in the third, the Panthers hauled themselves level through Massimo Carozza and, after killing off a penalty in overtime, they broke down the ice on a 2-on-0 to allow Domingue to beat Rok Stojanovicč.

IN NIHL National, Sheffield Steeldogs and Leeds Knights both maintained their 100 per cent starts to the season, leaving them alongside each other and Milton Keynes Lightning at the top of the standings.

Having seen off Telford Tigers on Friday through goals from Alex Graham (2) and Jason Hewitt, Ben Wood’s team enjoyed more success when on home ice for a second night running when Bees IHC visited on Saturday.

Nathan Salem had given the hosts the lead with just 58 seconds of the first period remaining but they then had to earn the win the hard way when coming from behind after two goals inside a minute early in the third gave the visitors a 2-1 lead.

Dominik Gabaj levelled for Doug Sheppard’s side at 40.51 with Joshua Smith putting them ahead just 44 seconds later. And, much like the night before against the 2019-20 league champions Telford, it was Hewitt and Graham who proved the decisive factors for the hosts.

Hewitt levelled at 52.53 before Graham made a man advantage brought about by a slashing call on Bees Luke Jackson count when he gave the Steeldogs a 3-2 lead at 55.48 that they never relinquished.

Leeds returned from their lkong trip to Swindon Wildcats with both points, but required a shoot-out to do so.

Ethan Hehir had given Leeds a 30th-minute lead with his fifth of the season, an advantage quickly wiped out by Swindon player-coach Aaron Nell, whose team headed into the final two minutes with a 2-1 lead through Edgars Bebris’s 43rd-minute power play strike.

But, with just 63 seconds on the clock, up popped Joe Coulter to level for the visitors, the game then going through a goalless overtime to bring on the shoot-out.

Tomasz Malasinski and Leeds’ Adam Barnes ensured it went to sudden death and after Swindon’s Polish forward was denied second time around by Sam Gospel - one of three shoot-out saves he made - Lewis Houston kept his cool to beat Dean Skinns and ensure it was a joyous coach ride home for Dave Whistle’s team.

Steeldogs hit the road on Sunday to in the second game of their double-header weekend against Bees, while Swindon will look to exact swift revenge when they visit Leeds at Elland Road (5.15pm).