Sheffield Steelers: How strong defence is allowing Steelers to stay on offensive in Elite League title pursuit

KEY MOMENT: Sheffield Steelers' Brendan Connolly slots home the match-winning penalty shot in the shoot-out against Nottingham Panthers. Picture courtesy of Dean Woolley/EIHL.

Veteran forward Brendan Connolly was the hero on the night after slotting home the only successful attempt in a seven-round shoot-out to secure a 3-2 triumph, one that came only after the Steelers’ gave up a two-goal lead to a team buoyed by the return of head coach Corey Neilson behind the bench.

“We maybe made a little bit too much hard work down the stretch than we should have, we weren’t clinical enough offensively and we didn’t take our chances,” said Fox.

“But defensively we’ve been outstanding for a while and if you want to win trophies you’ve got to be ready to defend and we’ve been doing that very, very well of late so it was good for us to get the two points.”

TOUGH GOING: Sheffield Steelers' captain Jonathan Phillips battles on the boards with Nottingham Panthers' Mike Hammond. Picture courtesy of Dean Woolley/EIHL.

It wasn’t until early in the second at the Utilita Arena that the deadlock was broken in front of a 7,000-plus crowd on Saturday night, Danny Kristo beating netminder Alex Dubeau by slotting through the five-hole at 21.05. Just 82 more seconds had elapsed before the lead was doubled though Sebastian Piché.

The Panthers got themselves back in the game, however, when Brett Welychka fired home with 45 seconds of the period remaining.

It looked like the Steelers would hold on for a regulation win until, with five seconds remaining and the Panthers on a power play, Kelly Summers fired through a screen of players in front of Matt Greenfield to tie the game.

Chances came and went at both ends during overtime and after the goalies excelled in the shoot-out, Connolly (pictured) fired the game winner.

In NIHL National, Leeds Knights showed they are in no mood to relinquish their grip on top spot with two emphatic victories, following up an 8-0 win at home to Raiders on Saturday with a 6-1 win at Hull Seahawks 24 hours later.

Head coach Ryan Aldridge had asked for a positive start on home ice from his players ahead of Raiders’ visit and got exactly that, his team heading in 5-0 ahead at the end of the first period which brought goals from Zach Brooks (2), Matt Haywood, Kieran Brown and Adam Barnes.

Brown doubled his tally in the second at 36.22 before the rout was completed in the final 20 with further strikes from Tate Shudra and Grant Cooper.

In Hull, the Seahawks took a first period lead on the power play through Nathan Salem.

But two goals in just over three minutes early in the second period from Adam Barnes turned the game on its head before Cooper made it 3-1 at 37.09. As Hull came out chasing the game, Brown made it 4-1 at 44.36 with further strikes from Cooper and Haywood securing the points.

The night before, Hull pulled off an impressive 5-4 win on the road at Basingstoke.

Sheffield Steeldogs enjoyed mixed fortunes, winning 3-2 in a shootout at at Bristol Pitbulls before being edged out 4-3 at home by Milton Keynes Lightning, a result which kept the visitors in third place, eight points ahead of Greg Wood’s team and three behind leaders Leeds.