Game Summary
The Sheffield Steelers returned to the Utilita Arena for a Sunday night Challenge Cup clash against the Manchester Storm, coming off the back of an impressive victory over local rivals Nottingham Panthers the evening before. With momentum firmly on their side and second place in the Challenge Cup standings, Aaron Fox’s men were eager to keep pressure on the Cardiff Devils at the top of the table.
It proved to be a fiercely contested battle in front of a loud Sheffield crowd. The Steelers built a commanding 3–0 lead midway through the second period, showcasing sharp finishing and relentless forechecking, but the Storm showed resilience and clawed their way back into the contest with two third-period goals that stunned the home faithful. A tense overtime period followed, with the Steelers ultimately showing composure and class to secure the extra point thanks to Derek Gentile’s decisive strike.
Both goaltenders, Sheffield’s Eamon McAdam and Manchester’s Drew Deridder, were busy throughout, each facing over 30 shots in a fast-paced and physical matchup. In the end, the Steelers skated off with a hard-earned 4–3 [OT] victory.
First Period [1–0]
The opening exchanges saw Manchester Storm start brightly, testing McAdam with an early effort from J.D. Dudek that forced the Steelers netminder into a sharp save. The visitors’ energy set the tone, but Sheffield responded quickly through Mitchell Balmas and Joona Huttula, whose link-up play inside the Storm blue line created one of several chances that narrowly missed the target.
The physical edge arrived courtesy of Kevin Tansey, who delivered a thunderous hit on Harrison Caines in the corner, firing up the home crowd. Evan Jasper then went close from the slot, forcing Deridder into a strong shoulder save, before Stephen Harper imposed himself with another crunching check at the Storm blue line. Sheffield began to dictate tempo midway through the frame, cycling the puck well and piling on pressure in the offensive zone.
Persistence was rewarded at 18:07, when Jasper burst down the right wing and picked out captain Robert Dowd at the far post. Dowd made no mistake, hammering home a one-timer to put the Steelers ahead. Moments later, the Storm took a penalty for slashing, giving Sheffield a late powerplay chance that stretched into the second period, but the score remained 1–0 at the break.
Second Period [3–1]
Sheffield wasted little time in extending their lead early in the second. Just two seconds after the carry-over powerplay expired, Mikko Juusola found himself in the slot to send a one-timer from Evan Jasper’s clever feed down low. Cliff Pu collected the secondary assist on the goal, making it 2–0 at 20:37 and igniting the building.
Tansey continued his physical dominance, sending Rais Francis sprawling with another huge check in the Steelers zone, while at the other end Nick Seitz broke free one-on-one only to be denied by Deridder’s outstretched pad. The period’s intensity grew with Francis and Logan Neilson exchanging jabs after a whistle, and Sheffield’s relentless offensive push continued through Jack Dougherty and Juusola, the latter nearly scoring a highlight-reel goal between his legs that clattered the post.
The Steelers’ third goal came at 35 minutes, and it was all about grit and determination. Harper crashed into his man at the blue line to force a turnover before feeding Derek Gentile at the back post. Gentile kept his composure and buried the chance, giving Sheffield a deserved 3–0 cushion. Although penalties to Neilson and Tremblay left the Steelers two men down for a brief spell, McAdam stood tall with a crucial stop and his teammates worked tirelessly on the kill. The Storm pulled one back before the break on the powerplay via Stephen Johnson, but with a 3–1 lead and a 30–21 advantage in shots, Sheffield carried momentum into the third.
Third Period & Overtime [4–3 OT]
The Storm came out flying in the third period and quickly silenced the home crowd. Just over a minute in, Stephen Johnson struck his second of the night, rifling home a one-timer after a pass from behind McAdam’s net to make it 3–2. The visitors smelled opportunity and pushed Sheffield hard, while penalties at both ends broke up the rhythm. McAdam was again called into action on the kill, denying Nick Welsh with a sharp glove save.
The Storm levelled the game at 48:57. Johnson turned provider this time, feeding Gary Haden who redirected the puck home from the edge of the crease, stunning the Arena as the score tied at 3–3. Tempers flared when former Coventry teammates Nick Seitz and Dudek tangled at the benches, both handed roughing minors as the tension boiled over. Despite late pushes from both sides, regulation ended locked at 3–3, setting up a nail-biting overtime.
The extra frame delivered high drama. Jasper almost won it with a wraparound that appeared to sneak over the line, only for officials to review and confirm no goal. Undeterred, the Steelers pressed on and their persistence paid off at 62:07. Dominic Cormier created the opening and fed Gentile, who unleashed a rocket one-timer past Deridder to seal the victory. The roof lifted off the Utilita Arena as the Steelers claimed the two Challenge Cup points with a 4–3 [OT] triumph.
What’s next?
The win saw the Steelers finish with 41 shots on goal compared to Storm’s 30, with both netminders boasting around 90% save percentages in an end-to-end contest. Derek Gentile, who struck twice including the overtime winner, was rightly named Man of the Match on home ice for the second time this season.
Aaron Fox’s men now turn their attention to next Saturday’s Challenge Cup clash back at the Utilita Arena against the Coventry Blaze, before a trip south on Sunday to face the Guildford Flames. With confidence high and momentum on their side, the Steelers will look to build further on a strong start to their cup campaign.
