Playoff Time : Devils Vs Steelers

The Cardiff Devils booked their place in Elite Playoff finals at Nottingham this coming weekend, dominating the improved Sheffield Steelers over both legs. This means the Devils maintain their claim to be the only team in the history of the league to be have played at every finals weekend.

Saturday night in front of the largest Cardiff Playoff crowd of the Elite era, saw the team skate out to a 4-2 victory. Referee Tom Darnell kept his whistle in his pocket for much of the game, allowing a good physical game to be played. After a few decent chances from both sides, Phil Hill opened the scoring on a delayed penalty play. A composed period of 6 on 5 allowed Jay Latullipe to feed Hill the puck, putting it past Verner at 12.35. Three minutes later and it was the Devils on the penalty kill. Mike Sgroi, notoriously difficult to budge from in front of the net on the penalty kill was able to score an equaliser, bullying it past Lyle at 15.18. There was no more scoring in the first despite chances on both sides, and the teams ended the first period of 6 all level.
The second period saw the Devils on a 5 on 3 early on and the Steelers had little chance to stop Mark Smith, very much in form, putting the Devils ahead at 25.24 from a Ryan Finnerty pass. Tempers flared in the closing minutes of the second period with a melee putting 6 players in the box after Jarvis was called for holding. The scoring for the period wasn’t over as the Devils opened up their lead with Birbraer scoring a very pretty goal after a good pass from Richardson at 38.30.

Momentum swung both ways in the third with some good chances at both ends of the ice stopped well by Verner and Lyle. A mistake by Verner at in the 56th minute however gifted Matt Miller a goal after he failed to freeze a puck. Miller scoring the Devils 4th goal at 56.55.

It looked like the Devils were heading into the second leg with a comfortable 3 goal advantage with the Steelers running out of ideas. A bad bounce however after a Lyle save, gave the puck to an ever dangerous Jeff Legue who closed the gap at 58.53 and gave his team fresh hope for the following night.

Stories emerged the following morning of Dave Matsos’ anger at his teams performance, locking the locker room door to prove his point. An early goal in the second leg was essential to keep his team in the Playoffs they had won the previous 2 years.

Sunday night saw both teams line up at the Sheffield Tin Shack for the final 3 periods. The Steelers needed to make an impression fast but quickly ran into penalty problems as ref Andy Carson chose to eliminate any of the hard hitting play seen the night before. 4 minor penalties in the first 8 minutes meant the Steelers were seldom off the penalty kill and the opening goal (and eventual game winner) came from ex Steelers Ryan Finnerty at 2.48. The 3 goal lead opened up, knocked the stuffing out of the team in teal on the ice and quietened the already quiet home fans nestled amongst the large array of empty blue seats. One of the only Sheffield players who looked like he was trying, late addition to the team, Jonathan Zion pulled the score back equal on the night with a sweet unassisted goal at 12.30 but there was still a mountain to climb for the Steelers and the 1st period ended with Devils maintaining their 2 goal lead.

The game was killed off in the first 6 minutes of the second with a flurry of Cardiff goals shell shocking the home team. Goals from Matt Miller at 20.56, Mark Smith at 23.48 and Tylor Michel at 26.03 opened up an unassailable lead and left the Steelers floundering with little hope. Hard man Mike Sgroi tried to energise his team by first offering out Voth, and then the entire Devils bench, flapping his gloves like a bird with a broken wing. There was no need for the Devils to fight however so he had to remain unfulfilled. The scoring was not over for the night however with Joey Talbot converting a power play advantage at 33.50 on a 5 on 3 after a dubious check from behind penalty for Mark Smith and a hooking call on Mike Hartwick shortly after. Ref Any Carson who appeared to want to get the Steelers back into the game kept the Devils on the 5 on 3 penalty kill by calling Scott Romfo for slashing shortly after Talbots goal. The devils rode out the second 5 on 3 successfully headed into the final period of 6 comfortably in control. The final period saw the Steelers again run into penalty problems as they lost control, it was an even handed break away however, that saw the Devils finish their scoring for the evening. Smith scoring his second of the night and the Devils 5th at 47.27. A consolation goal by Hubbauer on the powerplay at 57.28 brought the Steelers total on the night to 3 but there was nothing left in the team and they limped to the end of the period, being knocked out of the Playoffs 3-5 on the night (5-9 agg).

Devils progress to face league winners Coventry in the first playoff match in Nottingham next weekend, the winner of which will face the winner of the Nottingham / Belfast match in the final.