Weekend Review: Sheffield Steelers edged out but NIHL National perfect returns for Leeds Knights and Sheffield Steeldogs

The Panthers made home advantage count when they ran out 3-2 winners in overtime in a keenly-contested Group C Challenge Cup encounter at the National Ice Centre.

Jeremy Welsh broke the deadlock to put the Panthers ahead with 10.54 played, although the visitors were level at 23.37 after an inch-perfect pass from Sebastian Piché found Brett Neumann at the back-post on the power play.

It was another power play that saw the Steelers gain the advantage on the board when Piché’s rocket flew past Alex Dubeau at 49.46.

But only 67 more seconds had elapsed before Welsh made the most of a Brett Welychka pass to tie the game up again.

It was another Welychka pass which set up Adam Brady for the overtime inner with 63.29 on the clock.

In NIHL National, Leeds Knights maintained their 100 per cent start to the season when they followed up Saturday night’s 5-2 win on home ice against Peterborough Phantoms with a 7-4 triumph at the home of the same opponents 24 hours later.

Once again, import forward Grant Cooper (pictured) was to the fore, adding to his two-goal haul on home ice with a 12-minute, third period, four-goal blitz 24 hours later, helping his team overturn a 4-3 deficit and taking his regular season tally to 10 goals from just four games.

In Peterborough, fellow import Zach Brooks also shone brightly, getting his just rewards for some impressive performances to date when his late empty-netter sealed a deserved hat-trick.

Together with centre Cole Shudra the trio are currently proving an unstoppable force in the second tier.

Long may it continue, the Knights now one of only two unbeaten teams in the division, with Milton Keynes Lightning matching their pace by registering their fourth straight win by edging out hosts Bristol Pitbulls 3-2.

Elsewhere, Sheffield Steeldogs also enjoyed a maximum return having taken only one point from their opening weekend.

Saturday saw them edge out Raiders IHC 4-3 in a shoot-out. The hosts had looked home and dry when 3-1 ahead through goals from Jack Brammer (2) and James Spurr, before the visitors rallied through Aaron Connolly and Harry Gulliver.

After overtime couldn’t produce a winner, the hosts nicked it in the subsequent shoot-out.

Sunday brought the long road trip south to Romford for an instant renewal between the two sides, this time it proved a more comfortable night for Greg Wood’s team, who ran out 5-1 winners.

After falling behind to a fourth-minute strike from Matthieu Gomercic, it all went the way of the Steeldogs, Matt Bissonnette and Brammer putting them 2-1 ahead by the end of the first. Brammer doubled his tally with further goals from Warren Tait and Tom Palmer.

Hull Seahawks are still searching for their first wins of the season after losing out 4-2 and 3-2 to defending league champions Telford Tigers.