Sheffield Steeldogs share weekend’s NIHL National play-off spoils but Leeds Knights facing uphill struggle

The Steeldogs suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat at home to Basingstoke Bison on Saturday, but hit back quickly when winning 4-2 against the same opponents in Hampshire 24 hours later.

Swindon Wildcats and Peterborough Phantoms also shared the spoils from their weekend meaning there is nothing to choose between the four hopefuls going into Saturday.

Matt Bissonnette put Steeldogs ahead at 7.07 and although Alex Roberts levelled at 13.27, the visitors were 3-1 ahead early in the third through a second for Bissonnette and a further strike from Lee Bonner.

Roberts doubled his own tally – making it four for the weekend – at 44.23, but Bonner added a second on the power play at 57.14.

On Saturday, the Steeldogs outshot Basingstoke almost two-to-one at Ice Sheffield and were ahead after 40 minutes thanks to a 27th-minute power play strike from Alex Graham. But they were undone by a third period double by Roberts, the Bison forward levelling at 45.21 before sealing victory at 54.39.

Leeds Knights’ play-off hopes took a further knock after Milton Keynes Lightning came from behind to win 3-2 at Elland Road.

The Knights were hoping to bounce back from their 5-0 defeat in Milton Keynes on Friday and went ahead in the eighth minute through Cole Shudra when he finished off a one-two with Matty Davies.

Liam Stewart fired Milton Keynes level two minutes later, however, and that was how it stayed until the second period when Shudra doubled his tally with a rocker into Matt Smital’s top left-hand corner at 27.37.

But the Lightning were not in the mood to roll over and thereafter enjoyed plenty of time in the Knights’ zone, with netminder Gospel required to be at his agile best to deny both the lively Adam Laishram and Sam Talbot.

Smital had to be alert with his left pad to deny a Jamie Chilcott effort from long range through traffic early in the third, while Joe Coulter drove down the left from where his pass in front of net just eluded both Ethan Hehir and Jordan Fisher.

Davies then pinged one off Smital’s crossbar after good work by Shudra, but the Lightning then began to dominate possession and drew level when Bobby Chamberlain fired past Gospel from 10 yards out at 44.34.

Just under two minutes later, the Knights fell behind for the first time in the game when Sean Norris drove down the left boards before firing over an inch-perfect feed to Talbot who slotted home at the back post.

Norris then hit the crossbar and Gospel denied Laishram once again, but chances at the other end were hard to fashion and the Knights were left staring at the possibility they will have to win all four of their remaining games to make it to Coventry.