Steelers keep up the pressure on title rivals

Ben Simon's team had thrashed the Capitals 8-0 in Sheffield last month and, while a similar scoreline was never likely to be on the cards at Murrayfield Arena, returning with four points still counts as an impressive showing.

The victories see Steelers remain in third, two points behind Nottingham Panthers with a game in hand.

A 6-4 win at Newcastle Vipers for leaders Belfast Giants puts them nine points ahead of Steelers, although the South Yorkshire club do have four games in hand.

Steelers were forced to do it the hard way on Saturday night, requiring a shoot-out to deny the hosts.

First-period goals from Kevin Bolibruck and Robert Dowd gave the visitors a one-goal advantage and, after a goalless second period, it was the hosts who were ahead midway through the third after goals from former Steelers' forward Jeff Hutchins and Adam Taylor.

Neil Clark levelled for Steelers at 51.18 and, after overtime produced no further goals, Jerramie Domish scored the crucial sudden death penalty.

After Clark gave Steelers an early lead in last night's match, three goals in 146 second-period seconds killed off any hope the home side may have had of getting even.

Jeff Legue started it all off at 20.14 with Jason Hewitt, at 21.42, and then Rob Globke, at 22.40, completing the scoring for a comfortable victory.

Hull Stingrays' player-coach Sylvain Cloutier blasted his players after they suffered a 4-2 home defeat to Cardiff Devils. It followed a 7-4 loss in Cardiff the previous night in the Challenge Cup.

Cloutier was left angered by the nature of last night's reverse, which saw the visitors go 4-1 ahead after 46 minutes. Jason Silverthorn had pounced at 29.44 to make it 2-1 but Lee Mitchell's 52nd-minute strike proved nothing more than a consolation.

"We got out-worked and out-competed all night," said Cloutier. "I sat one guy because he was getting out-worked and if guys aren't going to work they are going to start sitting. We have to make this place a hard place to play.

"The game was there for the taking. That was a tired team, they were playing their sixth game in nine days and we looked like the team who were coming off the bus and were tired."

RESULTS

Sunday

Elite League

Coventry Blaze 3-2 Dundee Stars

Edinburgh Capitals 1-4 Sheffield Steelers

Hull Stingrays 2-4 Cardiff Devils

Nottingham Panthers 6-2 Newcastle Vipers

Saturday

Elite LeagueEdinburgh Capitals 3-4 Sheffield Steelers (SO)

Braehead Clan 1-2 Coventry Blaze (After penalty shootout)

Elite League/Challenge Cup Group ANewcastle Vipers 4-6 Belfast Giants

Challenge Cup Group BCardiff Devils 7-4 Hull Stingrays