Game Summary
The Sheffield Steelers were left with work to do in the second leg of their playoff quarter-final, after falling 3-1 to the Glasgow Clan in a fiercely contested first leg at the Braehead Arena.
The opening period was physical and intense from the drop of the puck. Just 56 seconds in, Kevin Tansey took a high stick and left blood on the ice, delaying play and setting the tone for a heated night. After the restart, it was the Clan who drew first blood. Mitchell Heard converted a breakaway at 5:37, slipping the puck five-hole on Greenfield to give Glasgow the early lead. Despite several chances at the other end, most notably a crossbar-rattling effort from Daniel Ciampini late in the frame, the Steelers trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes.
The second period was a goaltending showcase, particularly from Matt Greenfield, who denied the Clan multiple times to keep Sheffield within striking distance. Tremblay hit the bar early on, while Greenfield produced a sprawling save to rob Cade Neilson at the back post late in the period. The Steelers had their opportunities, including a powerplay midway through, but couldn’t solve Landon Bow in the Clan net. The period ended goalless, with Glasgow still holding a narrow 1-0 advantage.
The third period exploded into life almost immediately. Heard bagged his second of the night just over two minutes in, finishing another breakaway that initially sparked debate but was ultimately confirmed as a goal. Seconds later, Tansey and Felix Paré dropped the gloves in a spirited scrap right off the faceoff.
Greenfield continued his stellar performance, making key saves to hold the Steelers in the game. His efforts were rewarded at 53:39, when Daniel Ciampini stole the puck and fired top corner to make it 2-1. However, the comeback was short-lived. With just over a minute to play, Heard turned provider, finding Matt Berry in the slot, who finished five-hole to restore the Clan’s two-goal cushion.
Greenfield finished the night with 41 saves on 44 shots, keeping the Steelers within touching distance ahead of Sunday’s second leg in Sheffield. Bow stopped 29 of 30 for the Clan. Man of the Match honours went to Mitchell Heard for Glasgow and Kevin Tansey for Sheffield.
The Steelers will return home with everything still to play for, but needing a big response at the Utilita Arena to keep their playoff push alive.
First Period [1-0] – Clan Strike First as Steelers Trail After Physical Opening Period
The opening period of the playoff quarter-final between the Glasgow Clan and Sheffield Steelers set the tone for a hard-fought series, with the home side edging the first 20 minutes 1-0 in front of a fired-up crowd at the Braehead Arena.
Missing key forward Marco Vallerand and forced to deploy Kevin Tansey once again as forward, the Steelers were dealt an early scare just 56 seconds in. Tansey went down from a high stick in the corner and was slow to get up, leaving blood on the ice and requiring a lengthy clean-up before play resumed.
After the restart, Deven Sideroff was the first to seriously test Matt Greenfield, cutting in from the left before forcing a shoulder stop. Greenfield followed it up with a cover on a secondary effort from the opposite wing, keeping the game scoreless.
Despite some strong forechecking pressure from Sam Tremblay and Daniel Leavens at the other end, it was the Clan who struck first. At 5:37, Rylan Schwartz blocked a puck at his own blue line and sprung Mitchell Heard on a breakaway. Heard made no mistake, sliding the puck five-hole past Greenfield after a slick forehand-backhand move to give Glasgow the lead.
Felix Pare nearly doubled the advantage minutes later, forcing a sharp pad save from Greenfield with a pair of efforts from the blue line, as the Clan continued to edge the chances. Tansey, back on the ice following his earlier knock, nearly tipped home a Colton Saucerman effort, but Landon Bow was equal to it in the Glasgow net.
Tremblay came close again at 11:07, capitalising on a Clan turnover in the slot and firing low, but Bow was quick to react with the right pad. As the period wore on, the Steelers began to settle, generating sustained pressure in the Glasgow zone. Petteri Vainio’s drive from the point at 12:50 forced another save from Bow as Sheffield looked for a response.
The physicality ramped up in the closing stages, with Joona Huttula and Cade Neilson exchanging jabs behind the play, and Brandon Whistle absorbing a big hit to clear the zone.
Sheffield came agonisingly close to equalising with 69 seconds left in the period. Dominic Cormier’s burst into the zone set up Daniel Ciampini, who rang one off the crossbar, before Cormier’s follow-up from the blue line was gloved by Bow.
Despite outshooting the Clan 12-11, the Steelers trailed 1-0 at the break, with everything still to play for heading into the second leg on home ice at the Utilita Arena on Sunday night.
Second Period [1-0] – Greenfield Stands Tall in Goalless Second as Steelers Hang On in Glasgow
The second period in Glasgow delivered end-to-end action and high drama, but no goals, as both netminders shone to keep the scoreline locked at 1-0 in favour of the Clan heading into the third.
The period began with a warning shot from Sheffield, as Sam Tremblay clanged one off the crossbar just 65 seconds in from a sharp angle on the right wing, the second ping off the iron on the night.
Moments later, Matt Greenfield came up big, denying Cole Ully with a strong save and then getting help from his defence, who collapsed quickly to prevent a rebound opportunity. It was fast-paced hockey at both ends as Sacha Guimond fired wide on a two-on-one, and Greenfield was forced to cover again during a flurry in front of his crease.
At 24:24, Daniel Leavens’ hard work behind the Glasgow net paid off, drawing a hooking penalty on Rylan Schwartz to give Sheffield their first powerplay of the night. Despite some crisp puck movement, efforts from Dominic Cormier and Mitchell Balmas from the hashmarks couldn’t find a way past Landon Bow, who stood tall with sharp shoulder saves.
The intensity continued to build, and tempers briefly boiled over at 29:01. After Greenfield stopped Matt Berry’s drive, players from both sides tangled behind the goal. Berry and Robert Dowd were sent to the box for offsetting roughing minors.
The Leavens-Tremblay-Ciampini line continued to be a threat, generating a pair of quick chances at 30:10, but again Bow was equal to both. The two teams exchanged blows at pace, with Kevin Seigo flashing a shot just wide and Leavens tangling with Cade Neilson in front of the Clan net.
At 36:30, Berry once again turned provider, sending Mitchell Heard in alone for his second breakaway of the night. Greenfield came out aggressively, cutting down the angle and denying the five-hole attempt to keep the Steelers within one.
The biggest save of the night came at 38:52. With the Clan pressing hard, Cade Neilson looked certain to score at the back post, only for Greenfield to sprawl across the crease and somehow get a piece of it; a spectacular stop that silenced the home crowd and kept Sheffield’s hopes alive.
Despite the Clan outshooting the Steelers 31-22 through two periods, the second frame ended goalless, thanks largely to the heroics of Greenfield between the pipes. With 20 minutes left in the first leg, it remained a one-goal game heading back to the Utilita Arena for the deciding leg on Sunday.
Third Period [3-1] – Heard Headlines Heated Third as Clan Take Two-Goal Cushion to Sheffield
The final period in Glasgow was nothing short of electric; goals, gloves dropped, and a goaltending showcase at both ends. When the dust settled, the Clan emerged with a crucial 3-1 advantage to take into Sunday’s second leg in Sheffield.
Just two minutes into the period, Mitchell Heard found himself all alone after a slick cross-ice feed. He deked across Greenfield and lifted the puck bar-down—or was it out? After a brief pause and some uncertainty, the officials signalled goal. It was Heard’s second of the night and a massive moment for the home side.
Barely had the celebrations died down when emotions exploded at centre ice. Kevin Tansey and Felix Paré dropped the gloves straight off the faceoff. The two warriors traded punches in a spirited tilt that fired up both benches and the crowd.
Sheffield, to their credit, didn’t back down. Greenfield stood firm, denying Cade Neilson from the slot with a quick left pad save, then robbing Colton Seigo with a highlight-reel glove stop off a Heard feed.
At 47:08, tensions boiled over again following a sharp Greenfield glove save on Tyson McLellan. Both teams swarmed behind the net, and penalties were handed out to Watling and McKay to cool things down.
Despite the heated pace, the Clan kept coming. Liam Finlay slipped behind the defence once more, but Greenfield’s right pad was there to bail the Steelers out again.
The breakthrough for Sheffield finally came at 53:39. Daniel Ciampini picked the pocket of a Clan defender and snapped one top corner, glove side, to put the Steelers on the board and cut the deficit in half.
The comeback hopes on the night didn’t last long. Just 63 seconds remained when Heard drove down the right wing and spun a perfect pass to Matt Berry in the slot. Berry made no mistake, sliding it five-hole on Bow to restore the Clan’s two-goal lead.
Greenfield added yet another breakaway save in the final seconds before Dominic Cormier took a delay-of-game penalty with just two ticks left.
When the buzzer sounded, the Clan skated off with a 3-1 win in the first leg. Mitchell Heard was named Man of the Match for the Clan with two goals and an assist, while Kevin Tansey earned the honours for Sheffield after a gritty performance and a thunderous fight.
Greenfield was immense, stopping 41 of 44 shots, while Bow turned aside 29 of 30. The series now shifts to the Utilita Arena in Sheffield on Sunday night, where the Steelers will need a big push to overturn the deficit and keep their playoff dreams alive.
📸 Al Goold | Glasgow Clan