Sheffield Steeldogs extend NIHL National winning streak at expense of derby rivals Hull Seahawks

SHEFFIELD STEELDOGS signalled further notice of their intent in NIHL National by posting their eighth straight win in a nine-goal derby thriller at Hull Seahawks.

The Steeldogs are now clear in second place in the standings after their latest triumph, one point adrift of leaders Swindon Wildcats.

A 3-2 defeat in overtime for third-placed Leeds Knights at home to bottom club Basingstoke Bison puts Slava Koulikov’s team two points clear of their Yorkshire rivals.

They have played one game more than the teams on either side of them.

Outshot 41-28 by Hull - buoyed by their 3-1 win at Milton Keynes Lightning the previous night - the Steeldogs ultimately proved more clinical in front of the net, although there was little to choose between the two teams until just after the halfway mark.

Owen Sobchak gave the Seahawks a second-minute lead, a goal that was cancelled out by Ivan Björkly-Nordström at 12.06.

The Steeldogs then took the lead through defenceman CJ Garcia, only to be pinned back by a quick response from Declan Jones at 24.27.

But some daylight appeared between the teams after the Steeldogs built a two-goal lead before the second break, thanks to a double from Finnish forward Joonas Larinmaa, following up his 34th-minute effort with a power play marker with just 11 seconds of the period remaining.

The same high-sticking call on Johnny Corneil remained at the start of the third period, the Steeldogs taking advantage for a second time when Björkly-Nordström bagged his second of the night to make it 5-2 at 41.47.

But if the Steeldogs thought they were home and dry, they were given a quick reality check, Sobchak doubling his tally for the night less than a minute later.

The pressure intensified further when Sobchak made it a hat-trick night with a power play strike at 48.08.

But, despite being out-shot 17-8 in the third, the visitors held on to maintain their impressive winning streak.

Verdict of Seahawks’ head coach Matty Davies

“I came away from the game and felt like we were on top of it for a lot of it but they’ve got dangerous players and it was probably a tale of special teams that told the story. We gave away the one there on the PP which was tough at the start of the third and it was a tough one.

“And our PP just wasn’t quick clicking tonight, we got one but I felt like we had plenty of chances there to get us level.

“They’ve got dangerous players and their PP is obviously really good and maybe on another night we get back into the game we maybe win but, fair play to them, they got the job done.”

Top matchnight stats

Seahawks: Owen Sobchak 3+0 , Emil Svec 0+2; Steeldogs: Ivan Björkly-Nordström 2+1, Joonas Larinmaa 2+0, Bair Gendunov 0+2

Sunday night in NIHL National

Bristol Pitbulls 4 Telford Tigers 5 (OT), Solway Sharks 4 Romford Raiders 1 , Leeds Knights 2 Basingstoke Bison 3 (OT) , Peterborough Phantoms 4 Milton Keynes Lightning 5

Who’s next?

Sat, Nov 15: Basingstoke Bison v Sheffield Steeldogs (6.30pm), Leeds Knights v Peterborough Phantoms (6.30pm), Telford Tigers v Hull Seahawks (7pm)

Sun, Nov 16: Hull Seahawks v Leeds Knights (5.30pm), Sheffield Steeldogs v Telford Tigers (4pm).