Mitchell Balmas scored the decisive shootout goal as Sheffield Steelers claimed a 4-3 victory over Coventry Blaze on Saturday night, converting twice in the shootout to deny the visitors a share of the points at a packed Utilita Arena.
The 7,982 inside the building were treated to exactly the kind of contest the occasion deserved. Every time one side took the lead, the other found an answer. The second period alone produced four goals in four minutes. The third was goalless. Overtime settled nothing. It took a shootout — and Eamon McAdam stopping four of Coventry's five attempts — to finally split them.
Coventry strike first, Sheffield level
It was the Blaze who drew first blood. Matthew Gleason put the visitors ahead at 7:04, Jordan Power assisting, to silence the Utilita Arena early on. Jack Hopkins' hooking penalty at 7:34 gave Sheffield a chance on the power play, but they couldn't convert. Artem Buzoverya was then penalised for holding at 13:02, and this time Steelers made it count — Patrick Watling levelling at 12:30 from Joona Huttula and Reece Kelly — though the penalty and goal timestamps suggest the power play wasn't the direct route. Either way, it was 1-1 at the first break, and very much anyone's game.
The second period was where this match was made — and it was breathless.
Brett Ritchie was penalised for tripping at 21:05, and Coventry converted immediately. Adam Robbins scored on the power play at 22:09 — William Boysen and Gleason assisting — to put the Blaze back ahead at 2-1. Gleason's contribution across the game was growing.
Sheffield were level again within ninety seconds. Dominic Cormier struck at 23:46 from Robert Dowd and Ryan Tait to make it 2-2. Then Coventry went back in front at 25:02 — Michael Pelech finishing from Buzoverya and Jordan Power — 3-2 to the visitors. A minute later, Evan Jasper levelled again at 26:03, Dougherty and Huttula assisting, to make it 3-3. Four goals in four minutes. Coventry in front, Sheffield level, Coventry in front, Sheffield level.
After that extraordinary burst, the rest of the second period and the entire third were goalless — Jasper's tripping penalty at 42:36 and a Coventry bench minor for too many men at 48:43 the only notable events as both sides ran out of steam without breaking the deadlock.
Overtime came and went without a winner. Then came the shootout, and McAdam was outstanding.
Sheffield's Mitchell Heard scored first. Coventry's Barriga missed. Balmas converted for Sheffield. Vertanen missed for Coventry. Sheffield's Juusola missed. Mismash scored for Coventry to level it. Ritchie missed for Sheffield. Coventry's Robbins — scorer of one of the regulation goals — missed. Balmas stepped up for the second time, scored again, and Sheffield had their two points.
McAdam finished the shootout having stopped Vertanen, Barriga and Robbins — three of Coventry's four attempts — saving the best for Tallberg too, who was denied at the start of sudden death. Mat Robson was solid for Coventry throughout, making it a strong goalkeeping contest between the two sides, but he couldn't stop Balmas twice.
A tight contest at the top end of the table
Sheffield come in with three wins from five including an overtime loss, and this extends their winning run at the Utilita Arena. For Coventry, with two wins in their last five, a point from the shootout loss is something — but this was a game they led twice and could easily have won.