Sheffield Steelers give Manchester Storm route back to set up tense play-off decider on home ice

OPENING STRIKE: Sheffield Steelers' players celebrate Brett Neumann's opening goal in the 21st minute against Manchester Storm. Picture courtesy of Mark Ferriss/EIHL Media.

FOR 50 minutes at Planet Ice Altrincham last night, Sheffield Steelers looked to be heading for a deserved win in the first leg of their Elite League play-off quarter-final against hosts Manchester Storm.

But that scenario was turned on its head when the hosts scored twice in as many minutes to level the tie, leaving everything to play for going into tonight’s second leg at the Utilita Arena.

It wasn’t until early in the second period that the deadlock was broken when a well-worked play involving and Scott Allen and Daniel Ciampini found Brett Neumann alone in front of Jeremy Brodeur's net to open the scoring.

Storm had two powerplay opportunities to level the game but failed to convert their advantage and they were made to pay when Brendan Connolly scored on the follow up to a Kevin Schulze shot for a powerplay goal at 36.19.

DOUBLE IT: Brendan Connolly makes it 2-0 to Sheffield Steelers at Manchester Storm. Picture courtesy of Mark Ferriss/EIHL Media.

Early in period three, Jake Bricknell was ejected for a poorly-timed, high hit on Tomáš Pitule which gave the visitors a five-minute advantage. Matt Petgrave hit the post early on before Cole Carter and Tyson Fawcett almost combined for a short-handed marker at the other end.

Storm needed a goal from somewhere, and it was captain Critchlow who got them on the board with an innocuous looking shot from the wing that trickled through Greenfield's five-hole to bring the Shelter to life at 52:30.

Just 83 more seconds had passed when Tyler Barrow raced through on Greenfield and although he couldn't convert, Scott Simmonds followed up on the loose puck to tie things up.