Sheffield Steelers seal Elite League semi-final clash with Nottingham Panthers after dramatic overtime strike against Glasgow Clan

Leading 3-0 after 22 minutes, the Steelers had eradicated the two-goal deficit after Friday night’s 3-1 defeat in Glasgow and looked well set to book their place in the semi-finals against Nottingham Panthers at the National Ice Centre on Saturday.

But Glasgow showed why they have been a regular thorn in the side of many of the league’s top teams this season when they levelled on aggregate through Steven Seigo in the 38th minute.

A goalless and nervous third period followed prompting overtime and it was then that Patrick Watling made himself an even bigger Steelers legend when he fired home the winning goal at 62.24 to seal a 5-4 aggregate triumph.

“The heart can’t stand too many of those,” admitted Steelers’ head coach Aaron Fox.

“It was good to get off to a good start, we knew that if we could get that first one, the momentum would carry us.

“We go up 3-0 and then we give one back there which was frustrating and then it was some back and forth.

“We are running extremely thin right now, almost running on fumes a little bit, but the guys that could go gave us what they could tonight and it was enough.

“ I really liked our overtime, I felt we dominated the majority of the play and we put them under pressure.

“They had two bad changes with guys trying to get off and we had a Grade A chance on the first one and then we buried it on the second one from Wats there with a huge goal.

“It’s a huge weekend for us next weekend.”

With Mark Simpson still sidelined through an injury which has kept him out since early March, the Steelers have two other injury concerns going into the last four clash with Nottingham, with neither Marc-OIivier Vallerand and Veeti Vainio finishing the game.

But Fox will have confidence in whatever players he is left to ice in the East Midlands after they delivered the goods in front of more than 7,000 fans on Sunday.

Mitchell Balmas gave them the start they were looking for when he capitalised on a loose puck just inside the Clan zone and ripped a stinging shot past Landon Bow at 7.38.

Less than a minute had passed when the lead was doubled, Brandon Whistle breaking down the right and squaring for Mikko Juusola, only for the puck to cannon in off a Clan defenceman before it got there and into the net.

The Steelers then went ahead overall for the first time in the tie when Kevin Tansey fired home from the top of the right circle on the power play at 21.45.

But the Clan were determined not to go quietly and got themselves level before the end of the second period, Seigo’s effort deflected past Matt Greenfield at 37.14.

Overtime arrived and after one near-miss there was no mistake when the Steelers got their next opportunity in front of goal, Daniel Leavens holding off until Watling was alongside all alone to fire home into the roof of the net and send the home crowd ecstatic.