Sheffield Steeldogs rediscover winning formula to move second in NIHL National

Goals from Jason Hewitt, Jonathan Kirk and Lee Bonner secured the points that moved the Steeldogs back up to second in the NIHL National standings ahead of Saturday night’s trip to Milton Keynes Lightning, who they then host on Sunday (face-off, 4pm).

Only 29 seconds were on the clock when Hewitt broke the deadlock for the hosts at Ice Sheffield, registering his 34th of the season after combing well with Matt Bissonnett.

It wasn’t long, however, before the Phantoms - captained by former Steeldogs’ forward Nathan Salem, were level, Glenn Billing benefitting from some help from former Steeldogs’ player Thomas Barry and Thomas Norton to fire past Dmitri Zimozdrai with just 3.39 on the clock.

An interference call on Peterborough’s Scott Robson, though, gave the Steeldogs the opportunity they needed to restore their lead, Kirk firing home over a minute into the resulting power play at 18.03.

That was how it stayed for more or less the remainder of the match, however, the visitors matching their hosts blow for blow but ultimately leaving with nothing to show for their efforts, their frustrations completed when Lee Bonner fired into an empty net with a second to spare.