Sheffield Steelers forced to settle for split weekend with Elite League rivals Belfast Giants

TIGHT NIGHT: Sheffield Steelers' Brett Neumann battles for puck possession against Belfast Giants during Sunday's 3-2 loss. Picture courtesy of Dean Woolley/EIHL.

TRY as they might, Sheffield Steelers couldn’t quite do the double over Elite League rivals Belfast Giants.

Steelers got their weekend off to the perfect start with a 2-1 regulation win on Saturday, but couldn’t repeat that effort 24 hours later when they were edged out 3-2 by a fiercely competitive Giants team, despite out-shooting the visitors 34-12.

Steelers left themselves with too much to do in Sunday’s encounter, falling 3-0 with just 22 minutes on the board - all three goals coming in the space of four minutes either side of the first period break.

The response that was needed arrived quickly, Brandon McNally shoving the puck home on the power play after a goalmouth scramble in front of former Steelers’ goalie Jackson Whistle’s net at 26.56.

And it was a one-goal game when Brett Neumann back-handed home following good work by Danny Kristo down the left at 34.27.

But, try as they might, the Steelers couldn’t find the all-important third goal, the Giants having done enough earlier on through late first period strikes from Colby McAuley and Scott Conway, with David Goodwin extending the lead at 22.00 on the power play.

On Saturday, it wasn’t until the second period that the deadlock was broken, Steve Owre benefitting from good approach work behind the net by Scott Conway to beat Matt Greenfield from in front with 24.50 on the clock.

Just under seven minutes had passed before the Steelers were level, though, Tomáš Pitule scoring from a similar position at the other end after McNally pressured Giants’ defenceman Will Cullen into coughing up the puck on the boards in the right-hand corner, from where he quickly back-handed to his team-mate.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL: Sheffield Steelers' Mason Mitchell gets a closer look at Belfast Giants' opponent Gabe Bast during Sunday night's 3-2 defeat. Picture courtesy of Dean Woolley/EIHL.

The crucial blow came on the power play with just 10 minutes remaining, Kristo again feeding Neumann, who fired into the top right-hand corner of Jackson Whistle’s net from the top of the right circle.