Match Summary
Back on home ice and badly in need of a response, the Steelers delivered exactly that with a confident, controlled 5–2 victory over the Manchester Storm at the Utilita Arena. After a frustrating run that had yielded just three wins in the last ten games since Christmas, this felt like a night where the reset button was firmly pressed. From the opening shift, the Steelers looked re-energised, sharper in their structure, and far more like the side that expects to be challenging near the top of the Elite League table.
The return to home comforts played its part, but so too did the welcome sight of a full four forward lines available to Coach Aaron Fox. With Brett Ritchie making his home debut and Matthew Greenfield getting the nod between the pipes, the Steelers brought pace, physicality and depth that the Storm struggled to handle for long stretches. Manchester, backed by Drew DeRidder in goal, worked hard to stay in the contest, but were often penned into their own zone by sustained Steelers pressure.
The Steelers set the tone early, built a commanding lead through the first two periods, and although the Storm showed fight in the third, the hosts had enough composure to close things out. Crucially, the shot clock told much of the story, with the Steelers consistently outshooting their opponents and forcing DeRidder into a busy night.
Perhaps most encouraging was the spread of contributions throughout the lineup. Evan Jasper’s two-goal night, points from the blue line, and relentless work from all four lines highlighted a collective effort that has been missing at times in recent weeks. With a huge night ahead, this was exactly the platform the Steelers needed to build on.
First Period (Steelers lead 2–0)
The message was clear from the opening seconds. On the very first shift, Jack Dougherty stepped up to lay a thumping hit on Gary Haden, immediately injecting energy into the building and letting the Storm know they were in for a long night. Manchester had the first look on goal, but Greenfield was sharp early, calmly turning aside the initial test.
The Steelers quickly found their rhythm, generating chances through smart puck movement and quick transitions. Ryan Tait went close early on, only for a bobbling puck near the crease to hop over his stick at the crucial moment. Sustained pressure followed, with the Storm hemmed into their own zone for extended spells, though early shots were largely kept to the outside.
Sam Tremblay fired wide from the slot after latching onto a loose puck, while Mitchell Balmas was sprung one-on-one after being fed at the Storm blue line, only to be denied by DeRidder down low. The breakthrough came at 6:39 as Brien Diffley floated a shot in from the blue line and Mikko Juusola expertly got the decisive touch, tipping the puck home for the opening goal, with Jordon Southorn picking up the second assist.
Just 14 seconds later, the Utilita erupted again. A perfectly weighted stretch pass from Balmas sent Evan Jasper clear, and the forward made no mistake, snapping his shot top shelf above the catcher to make it 2–0. Kevin Tansey collected the secondary assist as the Steelers struck twice in quick succession.
The remainder of the period settled into a more cautious rhythm, with the Storm tightening up defensively to slow the Steelers’ momentum. A late high-sticking penalty to Stephen Harper at 16:44 gave Manchester a brief opportunity, but the Steelers’ penalty kill dealt with it comfortably. After 20 minutes, the hosts held a deserved 2–0 lead and a 14–9 advantage in shots on goal.
Second Period (Steelers lead 3–0)
The second period opened with fewer clear-cut chances as both sides adjusted, but it wasn’t long before the Steelers began to reassert control. Patrick Watling found Ryan Tait in the slot, forcing a solid save from DeRidder, before Jordon Southorn went close twice in quick succession, first from range and then hunting for a tip at the back post.
Reece Kelly tested the Storm netminder from the blue line, while Manchester’s best look of the period came through Tyler Hinam, who drove hard down the right wing to the blue paint, only to be denied by another composed save from Greenfield. At the other end, Juusola was sent clear once more, but DeRidder stood tall to keep the deficit at two.
Depth continued to be a major strength for the Steelers. A strong shift from the fourth line resulted in back-to-back chances for Robert Dowd, both turned aside, before a slick passing move involving Evan Jasper, Dowd and Dominic Cormier ended with the puck jammed towards the crease, again thwarted by DeRidder.
Wave after wave of pressure eventually told late in the period. At 36:48, Jasper struck for the second time on the night, forcing his way to the blue paint and lifting the puck over DeRidder from close range after a superb feed from Mitchell Heard behind the net. Kevin Tansey added his second assist of the game as the Steelers moved 3–0 ahead.
By the second intermission, the shot count read 32–18 in favour of the Steelers, underlining their dominance. Manchester had worked hard, but they were struggling to contain the pace and sustained offensive zone time of the hosts.
Third Period (Steelers win 5–2)
Manchester came out for the third with renewed urgency, moving the puck with greater speed and intent as they looked to claw their way back into the contest. However, any hopes of a comeback were dealt a blow just under four minutes in. At 50:52, Patrick Watling made it 4–0, firing from the high slot with the shot appearing to take a slight deflection on its way past DeRidder. Jordon Southorn was credited with the assist as the goal reignited the home crowd.
The Storm responded quickly to spoil Greenfield’s shutout bid. Just 28 seconds later, Rais Francis fired straight off a face-off through traffic to make it 4–1, with Harrison Caines picking up the assist. That goal gave Manchester a lift, and they continued to push, finding another breakthrough at 55:07 when Stephen Johnson added a second for the visitors, assisted by Gary Haden and Bradley Jenion.
With time winding down, the Storm pulled DeRidder for the extra attacker at 57:44 and followed it up with a 30-second timeout, throwing everything they had at the Steelers’ net. The hosts stayed disciplined, blocking shots and clearing their lines under pressure.
The game was put beyond doubt at 59:34 when Mitchell Balmas sealed the result with an empty-net goal from centre ice. Brien Diffley and Stephen Harper added the assists as the Steelers closed out a much-needed 5–2 victory and returned to winning ways in front of their home fans.
What’s Next
Man of the Match honours went to Stephen Johnson for the Manchester Storm, while Brien Diffley took the accolade for the Steelers after a standout performance from the blue line. There is little time to dwell on this result, however, with the Steelers straight back into action tomorrow night as the Cardiff Devils come to the Utilita Arena in a crucial clash against one of the teams sitting above them in the league table.
Next weekend brings a trip to Manchester to face the Storm once again on Saturday, before the Steelers return home on Sunday night to take on the Fife Flyers. If this performance is anything to go by, the reset may have come at exactly the right time.
