Sheffield Steeldogs ensure opening night in NIHL National campaign goes as planned

But three unanswered goals in the second period turned the game on its head, the Steeldogs eventually running out 5-3 winners over the reigning play-off champions and providing Yorkshire with a clean sweep for the opening weekend of the season.

The Steeldogs had to wait 24 hours longer than everybody else to get their campaign underway but they wasted no time in making their mark when American import forward Walker Sommer got them ahead at 5.15.

It took the hosts just under eight minutes to draw level through Luke Ferrara before they took control of proceedings with further first period strikes from Cameron Hough and Austin Mitchell-King.

It took some time before the Steeldogs were able to get themselves back into the game but, when they did, they did so in spectacular style, plundering three goals in as many second period minutes.

Samuel Tremblay matched fellow import Sommer’s first period effort to make it a one-goal game at 35.01 before the American doubled his tally just under two minutes later.

Tremblay then doubled-up for the night when he restored the Steeldogs’ lead at 38.45.

The third period was an edgy time for both teams, both knowing the next goal would be crucial in determining the results and, as the Phantoms pushed for an equaliser, they pulled goaltender Hayden Lavigne, with the Steeldogs eventually taking their opportunity to put the game beyond the reach of the hosts when captain Jonathan Kirk fired into the empty net for a hard-fought and deserved 5-3 victory.