Sheffield Steelers 0 Newcastle Vipers 0
Nov 8 2010 The Journal
AT the end of 40 minutes of play the Vipers' eighth successive defeat looked a certainty and only the magnitude of it remained in doubt.
And when they left the ice after 60 minutes the Vipers had not only failed to score for the third time this season, they had let in three powerplay and three shorthanded goals as well.
Recent history had also repeated itself as the Vipers returned from their first visit to Sheffield in September smarting from an 8-0 loss.
Danny Stewart’s struggling team went behind in the 19th minute, the goal punishment for not capitalising on the fact that referee Andy Carson had dished out four minor penalties to the home side in under as many minutes. Into the home penalty box went Steve Munn (holding), quickly followed by Jeff Legue (slashing), Rob Globke (closing hand on puck) and Jermaine Domish (delay of game) but still the Vipers couldn’t break down the Steelers’ defence.
Instead, Globke stole the puck and broke away to successfully go one on one with netminder Charlie Effinger.
The Vipers had conceded a shorthanded marker during Saturday night’s 3-6 home loss to the Cardiff Devils and on 32 minutes it became 2-0 to the Steelers when Legue’s stick propelled the puck into the back of the net. The Steelers then showed the Vipers how to operate on the powerplay by capitalising on their next two man advantages, Effinger being beaten by Globke (32 mins) and former Viper Derek Campbell (36 mins).
Shortly before the end of the middle period Carson sent two Steelers into the home penalty box in 14 seconds of play but again the Vipers’ powerplay became powder puff play. Soon after the failure the Vipers were made to suffer for having their captain Paul Sample serving a high sticking penalty, as Joey Talbot shot home the Steelers’ fifth and third powerplay goal of the night three minutes into the final period. Effinger was withdrawn to the bench on 49.39 to be replaced by Liam McAllister and three seconds after taking up his position in front of the cage he was beaten by Tom Squires.
It became 7-0 on 52 minutes when Globke struck his hat-trick marker and second shorthanded goal of the game, beyond the reach of McAllister who was immediately taken off the ice and Effinger put back on.
On a night to instantly forget the Vipers gave away a third shorthanded goal with just under two minutes of play left and again it was Globke who powered the puck passed the luckless Effinger, who in his two spells in goal, made 38 saves.
Steelers’ netminder Ervins Mustokovs made 27 saves to earn his second shut out against the Vipers, who also failed to record a score against the Coventry Blaze last month (3-0 scoreline).
A shorthanded marker hit home by Jon Pelle and a close range goal from Tylor Michel put the Devils in control of Saturday night’s game.
The home side went behind to a fourth minute goal scored by Mark Smith, equalised on the powerplay through Jaroslav Rzeszutko (six mins) and then went ahead through Patrik Forsbacka.
The Devils equalised on 14 minutes with Phil Hill scoring and Pelle and Michel’s goals (29 and 31 mins) gave the visitors a 2-4 lead after the middle period.
The Vipers were hit for six by the Devils for the second time at Whitley Bay this season when Effinger was beaten by Smith (51 mins, powerplay) and Hill (57 mins). With the game in its final minute Paul Sample made a scoring contact in a scramble around the Devils’ crease.
YESTERDAY’S SCORERS
SHEFFIELD STEELERS: Globke 4+0, Legue 1+2, Talbot 1+1, Campbell and Squires 1+0, Dowd and Simon 0+2, Domish, Hewitt, Munn and Sarich 0+1.
SATURDAY’S SCORERS
NEWCASTLE VIPERS: Forsbacka 1+1, Rzeszutko and Sample 1+0, Carollol, Silbey and Speer 0+1.
CARDIFF DEVILS: Hill 2+1, M. Smith 2+0, Michel 1+1, Pelle 1+0, Finnerty, K. Smith and Voth 0+2, Birbraer, Macrae and Matuzka 0+1.
