Sheffield Steeldogs stay in touch at the top but tough night for Leeds Knights and Hull Seahawks

Slava Koulikov’s side repeated their National Cup success over his former club Peterborough Phantoms on Saturday when they ran out comfortable 6-1 winners.

Ahead of Sunday’s schedule, it just about kept them in touch with Swindon - who were busy beating visitors’ Hull Seahawks by the same scoreline in Wiltshire.

But for three-time defending champions Leeds, a 5-1 defeat at Milton Keynes Lightning - combined with the Wildcats ability to register their 31st win of the campaign - leaves their title hopes hanging by a thread, if they weren’t already.

Powerplay goals from Walker Sommer and Jonathan Phillips either side of the first intermission at Ice Sheffield put the Steeldogs in control against the Phantoms, their position strengthened when Liam Steele made it 3-0 at 31.40 before Jonathan Kirk added a fourth just 23 seconds later.

Cameron Hough replied at 38.47 to give the visitors slender hopes of a comeback, at least until Kyle Watson cancelled that out to make it 5-1 to the Steeldogs 55 seconds later.

Joonas Larinmaa made it 6-1 with a third power play effort of the night at 51.53, to leave the Steeldogs seven points off Swindon having played a game more before making the trip to Peterborough on Sunday.

Leeds were good value for going in at 0-0 at the first intermission at Milton Keynes, but their night went south when they conceded four goals in as many minutes to leave them floundering just before the halfway mark.

Jordan Cownie broke the deadlock when he raced clear after a turnover on the Lightning blue line before firing past Sam Gospel at 24.12.

Just over two minutes later, Dominik Gabaj doubled the lead with a shorthanded strike, before the home fans were required to get to their feet twice in the space of 10 seconds.

Cownie doubled his tally at 28.49 before the moment the Lightning faithful had been waiting for came when Mac Howlett pounced to score against the team he left just over two weeks ago.

Oli Endicott got the Knights on the board with a well-worked power play goal at 37.43, but the game was done, the hosts adding salt into the wound when Sean Norris made it 5-1 on the power play with 50 seconds remaining.

If the Steeldogs and Knights were hoping Swindon would give them any encouragement this weekend, they were mistaken, Aaron Nell’s team following up Friday’s come-from-behind 7-6 overtime win at Basingstoke Bison with a commanding performance on home ice against Hull.

For import goalie Aleksanteri Heiskanen, it was a tough night on his Seahawks debut, beaten for the first time less than three minutes in by Tomasz Malasinski before Reed Sayers doubled the lead at 13.24.

The second period brought no let-up for the visitors, as strikes from Owen Griffiths, Logan vande Meerakker and Caden Villegas saw the hosts 5-0 ahead before the halfway mark.

Malasinski grabbed his second of the night at 53.20 before Seahawks’ captain Bobby Chamberlain grabbed a late consolation just over three minutes later as Hull dropped to seventh, swapping places with Milton Keynes.

Sunday schedule

Hull Seahawks v Basingstoke Bison (5.30pm) – TICKETS

Leeds Knights v Milton Keynes Lightning (4.15pm) – TICKETS

Peterborough Phantoms v Sheffield Steeldogs (5.30pm) – LIVE STREAM

Other games: Romford Raiders v Bristol Pitbulls, Telford Tigers v Solway Sharks