07 Dec 2023, 19:30 | Play-off | QF | Motorpoint Arena Nottingham |
Manchester Storm | 1-5 | Sheffield Steelers |
Periods: Shots: | 1-1 (14-16) | 0-2 (9-14) | 0-2 (15-8) | Total: 38-38 |
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Referees: Good/Sewell  |  Spectators: 1001 |
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Goals and assists
Sheffield Steelers took a commanding aggregate lead over Manchester
Storm in their Quarter-Final first leg in Altrincham on Thursday night.
Storm
took an early lead as they looked to build a lead to take with them
into Sheffield in a fortnight, but were unable to hold it through to the
first intermission. Mike Koral put the home side ahead 6:46 in, when he
turned an quickly slapped a Joe Morrow pass over Anthony Morrone's
shoulder.
Robert Dowd tied the game up with one second left in
the opening period , blasting a Mitchell Balmas feed pass Evan Weninger
on the powerplay.
2:27 into period two, Scott Allen was left alone
in the slot to shoot past Weninger off good set-up play from Dowd and
give the Steelers the lead, an advantage they doubled on the powerplay
two minutes later through Marc-Olivier Vallerand. Only an excellent
glove save from Weninger denied Mikko Juusola adding a fourth for the
visitors with just over eight minutes left in the middle period.
After
Storm failed to take advantage of a Brian Diffley minor penalty early
in the third, they were punished when Patrick Watling poked home a
Juusola pass in front at 46:59. A fortunate bounce put the puck on
Brandon Whistle's stick in front to then make it a 5-1 scoreline with
9:05 to play.
The Steelers will start with a four-goal advantage when the sides meet for the return leg on 20 December.