Game Summary
The Sheffield Steelers bounced back in dramatic fashion on Wednesday night, claiming a 4–3 overtime victory over the Guildford Flames at the Utilita Arena. After seeing their seven-game winning streak halted on Sunday against the Cardiff Devils, the Steelers were determined to make amends on home ice, and they did so the hard way. Despite dominating large spells of play and outshooting their opponents by more than two-to-one, the Steelers needed extra time and a thunderous Mitchell Balmas one-timer to finally seal the win.
Statistically, the Steelers controlled nearly every aspect of the contest, outshooting the Flames 76–36 and firing 45 efforts on target. Burman’s 41-save performance was all that kept Guildford within touching distance, while both penalty kills remained perfect in a tightly contested special-teams battle. Sheffield’s discipline and depth once again proved decisive, with four balanced lines driving play across all three zones. Matthew Greenfield once again stood tall between the pipes for Sheffield, while Taz Burman was impressive in the Flames goal, keeping his side in contention through relentless Steelers pressure. The result extends Sheffield’s remarkable winning run over Guildford to ten straight games and restores confidence heading into another busy weekend of fixtures.
First Period – Steelers on Top, Flames Strike First [0–1]
The game began at a lively pace, both teams feeling each other out with limited opportunities in the opening exchanges. The Steelers’ fourth line of Cole Shudra, Kevin Tansey, and Ivan Björkly-Nordström, making his call-up appearance set the tone with an energetic opening shift, using physicality to hem the Flames deep. Early efforts from Tansey and Ryan Tait tested Burman, who responded with sharp saves to keep the scores level.
Sam Tremblay made his presence felt with a pair of big mid-ice hits, drawing cheers from the home crowd and helping the Steelers sustain momentum. Kevin Tansey came close midway through the period, denied only by a superb last-ditch block from Ben Solder after a face-off win. Stephen Harper then broke clear through the middle but was disrupted just enough by the Flames’ defence to prevent a clean shot on goal.
Despite dominating possession and outshooting the visitors 13–3 in the opening frame, the Steelers found themselves behind late in the period. At 18:04, Guildford struck against the run of play when Cole Ully created space on the rush and fed Mathieu Gosselin, who coolly finished on the backhand past an outstretched Greenfield. It was a gut punch for a Steelers side that had controlled play but couldn’t find a way past Burman’s pads.
Second Period – Balmas Levels the Game [1–1]
The Steelers came out strong to start the second, determined to turn pressure into goals. Stephen Harper went close early with a low drive from the left wing before Greenfield was called into action to deny Jake Coughler on a two-on-one break, showing superb reactions to smother the rebound. The Flames looked more composed in transition, forcing Sheffield’s defence into some quick recoveries.
At 25:33, Sheffield’s persistence finally paid off. Harper surged down the right wing, firing a perfect pass across to Mitchell Balmas, who buried a clinical finish high into the top corner over Burman’s blocker; a highlight-reel goal that sent the Utilita Arena into raptures. Jordon Southorn picked up the secondary assist on the play as the Steelers tied things up at 1–1.
The remainder of the period saw chances at both ends. Dominic Cormier and Cole Shudra both tested Burman from close range, while at the other end, Greenfield stood firm amid a scramble in front of goal. The Steelers were forced to kill their first penalty of the evening when Shudra was called for tripping, but a disciplined defensive unit ensured the Flames’ powerplay was kept off the board. Harper and Gentile linked up beautifully late in the period, only to be denied by Burman once more. After 40 minutes, the sides were level, though the Steelers’ 29–12 shot advantage reflected their control of the contest.
Third Period – Late Drama Sends the Game to Overtime [3–3]
Sheffield kept pressing as the final period began, and their patience was rewarded with a moment of class from defenceman Dominic Cormier. Picking up the puck near the blue line, Cormier drifted to his right before snapping a pinpoint wrist shot across Burman and into the top corner at 44:33; a perfectly placed effort to give the Steelers their first lead of the night.
Moments later, Jordon Southorn rattled the crossbar with a thunderous slap shot as the hosts looked to extend their advantage. The sustained pressure paid off again when Robert Dowd and Evan Jasper combined, the latter firing home a precise wrist shot from the right hashmarks to make it 3–1 at 48:38. The home crowd could sense the momentum, but Guildford had other ideas.
In a stunning 47-second spell, the Flames struck twice to level the game. First, Gosselin deflected home an Ethan Strang effort from close range, and then Charlie Curti joined the rush to fire a perfect shot over Greenfield’s glove to make it 3–3. The Steelers pushed again late on, especially after Sean Comrie’s high-sticking double minor on Cole Shudra gave them a four-minute powerplay. Despite several dangerous looks from Balmas and Dowd, Burman and the Flames’ penalty kill held firm to force overtime.
Overtime – Balmas Seals It in Style [4–3]
As the extra period began, both sides had chances to win it. Balmas fired just wide on the opening shift, and Diffley was inches away at the back post moments later. The momentum shifted briefly when Cliff Pu was called for tripping, forcing the Steelers to defend a crucial penalty kill. Greenfield and his skaters stood tall, clearing the puck repeatedly to neutralize the danger.
Then, in a dramatic twist, Pu exited the penalty box and was hauled down on a breakaway by Travis Brown, sending the Steelers to the powerplay and setting the stage for a spectacular finale. Just a minute later, at 64:36, Balmas struck again. Stationed at the right-wing point, he unleashed a blistering one-timer that rocketed past Burman and popping the bottle sat on top of the net. The crowd erupted as the Steelers poured onto the ice to celebrate a hard-fought 4–3 overtime victory.
Mathieu Gosselin took the Flames’ Man of the Match honours for his two-goal performance, while Dominic Cormier was named Man of the Match for Sheffield after a commanding two-way display capped by his highlight-reel strike.
What’s Next
The Steelers remain at the Utilita Arena for their next fixture as they welcome the Fife Flyers on Saturday night. They’ll then make the return trip south to Guildford on Sunday to face the Flames once more. With momentum restored and the winning feeling back, Sheffield will look to build on this performance as they continue to chase top spot in the Elite League standings.
