Two nights after their Planet Ice NIHL National Cup semi-final triumph over Leeds Knights, Sheffield Steeldogs returned to Ice Sheffield for a very different kind of evening — a 1-3 league defeat to Hull Seahawks that will have felt like a difficult comedown from Tuesday's drama.
Hull were efficient and well-organised throughout, with Johnny Corneil the standout contributor — scoring twice including a crucial opening power play goal — while Sheffield's only response was a Nathan Ripley shorthanded strike in the second period that briefly gave the home side hope before Hull reasserted control in a decisive five-minute burst to open the third.
A goalless first period, then the contest opens up
The first period passed without a goal from either side. Brady Parker started in goal for Sheffield — his second start of the week after Tuesday's cup semi — with Aleksanteri Heiskanen between the pipes for Hull. Both sides probed without breaking through, and the match remained level heading into the second intermission.
Michael Danečko's tripping penalty at 30:36 gave Hull a power play at a potentially decisive moment. Sheffield killed it — but just 57 seconds later, Ripley scored shorthanded at 31:33 from Björkly-Nordström and Ben Morgan's assists to put the home side 1-0 up. The penalty kill had become the goal-scoring opportunity.
The second period's strangest sequence came at 36:10, when Sheffield's starting goalkeeper was pulled — presumably for an extra skater with the score 1-0 — only for Hull's Lee Bonner to be penalised for tripping at 36:28 at precisely the same moment. Brady Parker came back on at 36:28, likely to see out the power play opportunity. Tim Smith was then penalised for hooking at 39:17 as Sheffield ended the second period having given Hull two chances that weren't converted, but the home side's 1-0 lead didn't survive far into the third.
Three goals in four minutes and fourteen seconds settled the match. Corneil opened Hull's account on the power play at 41:00 — Jordan Stallard assisting — after Joonas Larinmaa was penalised for hooking at 42:01. Chamberlain made it 2-1 on the power play at 42:36 — Corneil and Stallard both assisting — before Corneil completed his brace from open play at 45:14, Bobby Chamberlain and Dylan Hehir helping.
Sheffield were 3-1 down and the match was effectively over. Thomas Stubley was penalised for hooking at 53:43 but Sheffield couldn't convert their late power play. The home side pulled Parker for an extra skater at 57:20, called their timeout at 58:45, but Hull held on comfortably.
Context and form
For Hull, this is four wins in five coming into the weekend, with their only blip a 2-5 loss to Peterborough last Saturday. Away wins are difficult to come by at this level and this is a useful haul of points for a Seahawks side pushing for position in the National Division table.
For Sheffield, Tuesday's cup semi-final win was the undoubted highlight of their week — and advancing to the final on aggregate against Leeds remains a significant achievement. The league form has been trickier: three defeats in their last three National Division outings before tonight, with the Danečko penalty leading directly to what became Ripley's shorthanded goal their only moment of genuine attacking quality here.
The 695 attendance — a much smaller crowd than Tuesday's 1,498 — reflects both the Thursday turnaround and the different competition, but Steeldogs supporters will hope the cup final preparations can lift league form alongside them.