Steelers keep chipping away at Panthers’ lead
After a weekend which saw second-placed Belfast Giants pick up just the one point in a 4-3 comeback win at home to Coventry Blaze – while Nottingham won 4-1 against Cardiff Devils – the Panthers are still clear favourites to win the regular season championship.
But two wins for the Steelers in the last 48 hours saw them cut the deficit by two points and, with four games between the two fierce rivals still to come – the first being next Sunday at the Motorpoint Arena – the title race is far from over.
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Hide AdLast night the Steelers romped to a 7-2 win at home to Braehead Clan, following up Saturday night’s hard-fought 6-3 victory on the road at Fife Flyers.
Jeff Legue led the way for the Steelers at the Motorpoint Arena, firing in two first-period goals. Braehead hit back to level before the halfway mark through Ash Goldie and Robert Farmer but, once Ashley Tait made it 3-2 on the powerplay at 36.15 the result was never in doubt, further goals coming from Tylor Michel (2), Scott Champagne and Jason Hewitt.
Ryan Finnerty’s team had to come from two goals down in Fife, Legue and Michel cancelling out strikes from Bobby Chaumont and Kris Hogg. Steve Goertzen edged Steelers in front and, although McAlpine levelled at 47.33, a second from Michel, and two last-minute empty-net strikes from Goertzen and Simon Ferguson sealed both points.
Hull Stingrays twice maintained their dismal record in shoot-outs, but still managed to enhance their play-off hopes.
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Hide AdThe two points earned in 3-2 defeats at home to Edinburgh Capitals and on the road at Coventry Blaze, were enough to close the gap on eighth-placed Fife to four points, after the Scottish club followed up their loss at home to Steelers with a 3-1 defeat in Cardiff last night.
Hull have now lost in seven successive shoot-outs this season.