Sheffield Steelers 2 Guildford Flames 3 (OT): Home rule over rivals continues to elude Elite League leaders

IT remains a case of ‘as you were’ when it comes to the Elite League head-to-head series between Sheffield Steelers and Guildford Flames.
Phil Harrison
By Phil Harrison
Published 10th Dec 2023, 15:37 BST

Neither team has enjoyed a win on home ice against the other since the 2021-22 Elite League campaign.

The Steelers – who have already won twice at the Flames’ Spectrum home this season – came close to reversing that trend on Saturday night at the Utilita Arena before losing out 3-2 after a shoot-out.

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They had done most of the hard lugging, coming back from 2-0 down to level with more than 10 minutes of regulation remaining.

But they were unable to capitalise on a late power play, forcing overtime - in which they thought they had won with a late effort from Robert Dowd but the officials ruled it had crossed the line after the buzzer had gone.

With Mitchell Balmas, Patrick Watling, Josh Nicholls and Mikko Juusola unable to convert their shoot-out chances, the Flames took the extra point after Peter Crinella and Steven McParland - who had both scored earlier in the night to put the visitors ahead - found a way past Matt Greenfield.

“We came out a little flat the first 10-12 minutes, it wasn’t our best and they got off to a 2-0 lead with a little bit of a flukey one on that second one,” said Steelers’ head coach, Aaron Fox.

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“But, from that point, I actually really liked our pushback. I liked our compete and I thought we actually started taking that game over in the second period and were pretty unlucky to be a goal down after two.

SO CLOSE: Kevin Tansey (No 6) goes close for Sheffield Steelers in their 3-2 defeat after a shootout to Guildford Flames. Picture: Hayley Roberts/Steelers Media.SO CLOSE: Kevin Tansey (No 6) goes close for Sheffield Steelers in their 3-2 defeat after a shootout to Guildford Flames. Picture: Hayley Roberts/Steelers Media.
SO CLOSE: Kevin Tansey (No 6) goes close for Sheffield Steelers in their 3-2 defeat after a shootout to Guildford Flames. Picture: Hayley Roberts/Steelers Media.

“I think we outshot them in the third and overtime 21-5 and then 40-21 in the game, so the chances were there for us tonight to get two points, but we just didn’t quite get it done.”

Crinella’s opener came just over five minutes in following excellent work behind the net by Brett Ferguson, although the visitors benefitted from some good fortune when McParland’s attempted pass from behind the net cannoned in off the unsuspecting Greenfield at 24.18 on the power play.

Crucially, the Steelers - on the road at Fife Flyers on Sunday night - got back in the game quickly, when Brett Neumann fired home 37 seconds later from in front off a clever feed from Juusola and they were deservedly level when Daniel Ciampini tipped in from Colton Saucerman on the power play at 47.21.

Related topics:Sheffield SteelersAaron Fox