Game Summary
The Sheffield Steelers delivered another heart-stopping comeback on home ice in front of 9,241 fans, overturning a two-goal deficit to defeat the Nottingham Panthers 3-2 in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Utilita Arena.
The first period saw both teams trade quality scoring chances, but netminders Matthew Greenfield and Jason Grande stood tall, keeping the game scoreless after twenty minutes. Sheffield’s best chance came when Daniel Leavens rattled a shot off the post, while Ollie Betteridge missed a golden opportunity at the other end for Nottingham.
Despite outshooting the Panthers 36-16 after two periods, Sheffield found themselves trailing 1-0 after a goal against the run of play. Tim Doherty broke into the zone at 23:48 and fired a shot past Greenfield to give Nottingham the lead. The Steelers pushed hard for an equalizer, but Grande pulled off a spectacular pad stack save to deny Mikko Juusola. Tempers flared late in the period as tensions boiled over between both sides, setting up a fiery third frame.
Nottingham doubled their advantage at 43:21 when Mitchell Fossier finished off a slick passing play, but the Steelers refused to go quietly. Sam Tremblay’s relentless forechecking forced a turnover, allowing Brandon Whistle to fire home at 46:54. The equalizer came at 53:56 when Dominic Cormier squeezed a shot past Grande from an impossible angle, sending the game to overtime.
After a goalless extra frame, the contest was decided in a shootout. Mitchell Balmas stepped up in sudden death, burying the winner and securing two massive points for the Steelers.
Sheffield now turn their attention to a quick turnaround on the road, facing the Guildford Flames on Sunday as they continue their chase for the Elite League title.
First Period [0-0] – Steelers and Panthers Battle to Stalemate in High-Tempo First Period
The Sheffield Steelers returned to action at the Utilita Arena, looking to build on their dominant midweek performance against the Fife Flyers. With the Nottingham Panthers in town for another crucial Elite League clash, Sheffield aimed to continue closing the gap on the first-place Belfast Giants, who sat six points ahead with an extra game played.
Head coach Aaron Fox opted for an unchanged lineup from the team that put eight past Fife, hoping for another strong offensive display. However, the opening twenty minutes saw a much tighter contest, with both sides generating quality scoring chances but failing to break the deadlock.
Sheffield had the first real opportunity of the game when Daniel Leavens showcased some silky footwork along the half boards before laying the puck off to Brandon Whistle, who drove hard into the slot. His shot, however, whistled just wide of the post. The Steelers then earned an early powerplay when Matt Alfaro was penalised for hooking just two minutes in. Despite crisp puck movement from Mitchell Balmas, Mark Simpson, and Robert Dowd, who fired a close-range effort just past the back post, Sheffield couldn’t capitalise with the man advantage.
At the other end, the Panthers tested Steelers goaltender Matthew Greenfield, with Hugo Roy firing a high shot off the shoulder after skating onto a pass at the blue line. Greenfield then came up big again, flashing the left pad to deny Tim Doherty’s close-range tip in front of the crease.
The Steelers’ best look of the period came from Leavens, who found himself in space between the circles and let fly a shot that rang off the post, beating Panthers netminder Jason Grande but staying out. Nottingham nearly made Sheffield pay for that missed chance as Ollie Betteridge found himself unmarked at the back post on an odd-man rush, but he, too, failed to find the target.
Sheffield finished the period by successfully killing a Daniel Leavens high-sticking penalty, ensuring the game remained scoreless heading into the second. With both goaltenders standing tall, the stage was set for a tense battle in the remaining forty minutes.
Second Period [0-1] – Steelers Trail After Second Despite Offensive Barrage Against Panthers
The Steelers dominated much of the second period, outshooting the Nottingham Panthers 36-16 after forty, yet found themselves heading into the final frame trailing 1-0. Despite relentless pressure, Steelers were left frustrated by a combination of Jason Grande’s stellar goaltending and a string of unlucky bounces that consistently favoured the visitors around their own goal.
Nottingham’s lone goal came against the run of play early in the period at 23:48. A broken play at the Steelers’ blue line saw Tim Doherty pounce and burst into the offensive zone with speed. Using a teammate as a decoy, he fired a precise shot across his body and under the glove of Matthew Greenfield to give the Panthers the lead. Matt Spencer was credited with the lone assist.
Sheffield continued to push for an equaliser, and their best chance came when Mikko Juusola blazed down the left wing, cutting in behind the Panthers’ defence. The Steelers winger looked to have Grande beaten as he shifted from forehand to backhand, but the Panthers’ netminder came up with a spectacular pad stack save, leaving Juusola staring at the rafters in disbelief.
As the period wore on, tensions flared. A heated exchange between Marco Vallerand and Zsombor Garát behind the play resulted in matching roughing penalties. The intensity reached a boiling point at the buzzer when Patrick Watling’s final-second effort sparked a full-line scuffle. Robert Dowd and Jaakko Niskala emerged from the fray with tempers running hottest, setting the stage for a fiery final period.
Third Period, Overtime & Penalty Shots [3-2 (pens)] – Steelers Stun Panthers with Another Thrilling Comeback Victory
The Steelers have made a habit of dramatic late-game comebacks, and Saturday night was no exception as they overturned a two-goal deficit to defeat the Nottingham Panthers in a penalty shootout. In a game that kept fans on the edge of their seats, the Steelers clawed their way back once again, proving their resilience in the hunt for the Elite League title.
Despite dominating play, Sheffield found themselves trailing 2-0 at 43:21. Cooper Zech sparked the Panthers’ attack with a clever bank pass off the boards, setting up Tim Doherty for a crisp cross-ice feed. Mitchell Fossier made no mistake, sending a precise shot across Matthew Greenfield to double Nottingham’s lead.
But the Steelers refused to back down, immediately ramping up the pressure. Their persistence paid off at 46:54, thanks to an incredible shift from Sam Tremblay. The gritty forward threw multiple hits, forcing a turnover from Zsombor Garát. The loose puck landed on the stick of Brandon Whistle in the slot, and he hammered home a one-timer to bring the Steelers within one.
Momentum was firmly in Sheffield’s favour, and the equalizer arrived at 53:56. Dominic Cormier, from an almost impossible angle, found the tiniest of gaps past Jason Grande, notching his side’s 61st shot on goal and tying the game at two.
Despite a frantic push in the dying minutes, neither team could find a winner, sending the game to overtime. A tense, back-and-forth extra frame solved nothing, leading to a dramatic penalty shootout.
Kristoff Kontos and Mikko Juusola each converted, while Patrick Watling cancelled out Cooper Zech’s effort. Then, in sudden death, it was Mitchell Balmas, the Steelers’ clutch performer, who stepped up and sealed the victory, sending the home crowd into raptures.
The Steelers now hit the road for a crucial matchup against the Guildford Flames on Sunday night, with a chance to stay within four points of the league-leading Belfast Giants. A midweek trip to Cardiff follows before they return home next Saturday to face the Coventry Blaze.
