Game Summary
The Sheffield Steelers bounced back in emphatic fashion on Sunday night, delivering a dominant 10-4 victory over the Dundee Stars in a wild, goal-packed contest. After a chaotic opening period, Sheffield took control in the second and ran riot in the third, securing a statement win to keep the pressure on at the top of the standings.
The Steelers wasted no time setting the tone, scoring just 28 seconds in when Mark Simpson’s rebound deflected in off his skate. Dundee responded with a well-taken goal from Spencer Naas, but Sheffield quickly regained control, with Marco Vallerand and Mikko Juusola finding the net before the 11-minute mark.
Colton Saucerman extended the Steelers’ lead to 4-1 with a thunderous slapshot from the blue line, but Dundee refused to go away quietly, pulling one back late in the period through Brendan Harms after a net-front scramble.
Dundee came out strong after the break, but it was Sheffield who struck first at 25:52. Juusola’s speed created space for Brien Diffley, who rifled a shot into the top corner to make it 5-2. The Stars kept battling, and Keanu Yamamoto cut the deficit back to two with a slick move around Matthew Greenfield.
Sheffield restored their cushion at 36:57 with a well-worked passing play, finished off by Brandon Whistle after great build-up from Ciampini and Saucerman. With a three-goal advantage heading into the third, the Steelers were in firm control.
Sheffield pulled away in the final period, starting with Simpson’s second of the night at 44:50. A powerplay goal from Juusola and his subsequent hat-trick tally on a penalty shot pushed the lead to 9-3.
Dundee grabbed a consolation goal through Tsekos on the powerplay, but Sheffield capped off a dominant display when Sam Tremblay tipped home a pinpoint pass from Finley Ulrick to round off a perfect 10.
With a crucial four-point gap now separating them from league leaders Belfast, the Steelers shift their focus to next weekend’s key fixtures against Nottingham and Glasgow as they continue their title chase.
First Period [2-4] – Steelers and Stars Trade Blows in Wild First Period
The Sheffield Steelers wasted no time shaking off the disappointment of their shutout loss to Coventry Blaze, engaging in a goal-filled first period against the Dundee Stars on Sunday night. In a frantic 20 minutes, the two teams combined for six goals, with the Steelers emerging ahead 4-2 despite Dundee’s resilience.
Sheffield came out firing, breaking the deadlock just 28 seconds into the game. Mark Simpson found himself behind the Stars’ defence, and though Richard Sabol made the initial save, the rebound deflected off Simpson’s skate and into the net for the unassisted opener.
The Steelers dominated the early stages, but Dundee struck back on their first real opportunity at 5:04. A well-executed odd-man rush saw Spencer Naas finish from a tight angle, beating Matthew Greenfield at the far post. Brendan Harms registered the assist.
The Steelers wasted little time reclaiming their lead, responding just 44 seconds later through Marco Vallerand, who capitalised on a loose puck and fired top shelf on the spin. Robert Dowd provided the assist.
The visitors continued their relentless forecheck through Simpson, Tremblay and Shudra, forcing a tiring Stars defence into an icing. That pressure paid off at 10:24 when Mikko Juusola powered his way through the slot, poking home a bouncing puck after a crucial faceoff win by Patrick Watling.
Colton Saucerman added to Sheffield’s tally at 13:19, unleashing a thunderous slap shot from the blue line that flew past Sabol, finally breaking his scoring drought and celebrating with a ‘monkey off the back’ gesture.
Despite the Steelers’ control, Dundee ensured they stayed within reach, grabbing a late goal at 19:08. A scramble in front of Greenfield saw Sheffield struggle to clear, and Harms found the finishing touch to bring the Stars within two as the period ended.
With four goals already on the board, the Steelers entered the second period with momentum, but Dundee had shown they wouldn’t go down without a fight.
Second Period [3-6] – Steelers Extend Lead in Action-Packed Second Period
The Steelers continued to assert their dominance in the middle frame, outscoring the Stars 2-1 to take a commanding three-goal lead into the final period. Despite Dundee’s early push, Sheffield’s clinical finishing proved the difference as they maintained control of the game.
Dundee came out strong to start the second, applying pressure on the Steelers’ defence. However, it was Sheffield who struck first at 25:52, courtesy of a brilliant play from Mikko Juusola. Blazing down the right wing, Juusola hit the brakes before setting up Brien Diffley, who rifled a shot across Richard Sabol’s body and into the top corner to make it 5-2.
The Stars refused to go away quietly and responded at 31:04. The speed of Philippe Sanche and Keanu Yamamoto caused problems for the Steelers’ defence, with Yamamoto slipping past his man before cutting around Matthew Greenfield’s right pad and tucking the puck in off the far post.
Sheffield regained their momentum and restored their three-goal advantage at 36:57 with a slick passing sequence in the offensive zone. Daniel Ciampini carried the puck over the blue line before dishing it off to Colton Saucerman. The defenseman sent a pinpoint pass back to Ciampini, who drove toward the net before threading a perfect feed across the crease for Brandon Whistle to bury past Sabol.
As the second period came to a close, the Steelers held a 6-3 lead, putting themselves in prime position to close out the win in the final twenty minutes.
Third Period [4-10] – Steelers Hit Double Digits in Dominant Third Period
The Steelers left no doubt about their response to Saturday’s disappointment, capping off a goal-fest with a commanding third period to seal a resounding victory over the Stars. Adding four more goals in the final frame, the Steelers hit double digits on the scoreboard, ensuring a statement win as they continue their chase for the league title.
Mark Simpson wasted little time in extending the Steelers’ lead to four, netting his second of the night at 44:50. A long stretch pass from Brien Diffley found Brandon Whistle, who carried the puck into the Stars’ zone. A deflection off a defender’s stick left the puck loose in the slot, where Simpson pounced, roofing his shot over Richard Sabol’s glove to make it 7-3.
The game’s first penalty came at 48:13 when Dundee’s Zachary Tsekos was called for slashing. Sheffield wasted no time as Patrick Watling connected with Mitchell Balmas down the left wing. Balmas attempted a cross-crease pass, which deflected off a defender’s stick and fell perfectly for Mikko Juusola, who buried the rebound into an open net for his second of the night at 49:02.
Following the Steelers’ eighth goal, Matthew Greenfield made way for Marco De Filippo, marking his return from injury. De Filippo was tested early, making a strong save on Ben O’Connor.
Sheffield kept the pressure on, and at 53:07, Juusola completed his hat-trick in spectacular fashion. Keanu Yamamoto hauled him down on a breakaway, leading to a penalty shot. With speed and composure, Juusola moved from right to left before ripping a shot over the glove to push the Steelers’ tally to nine.
Dundee refused to roll over and found a consolation goal at 55:49. On a powerplay following a Sam Tremblay hooking penalty, Zachary Tsekos fired from the slot, picking his spot over De Filippo’s blocker.
Sheffield had the last word, though, sealing the win in style. At 57:14, Finley Ulrick floated a saucer pass toward the net, where Tremblay showcased brilliant hand-eye coordination to redirect the puck home, securing a perfect 10 for the Steelers.
With Belfast only managing a single point over the weekend, Sheffield now sits just four points behind the Giants, who hold a game in hand. The title race is far from over, and the Steelers will look to build on this momentum next Saturday when they head to Nottingham to face the Panthers before returning home to take on the Glasgow Clan.
📸 Dundee Stars / Derek Black