Game detail: 31 Mar 2024, Manchester Storm - Sheffield Steelers

31 Mar 2024, 17:30 | Regular season | Altrincham Ice Dome

Manchester Storm

4-5 OT

Sheffield Steelers

Periods:
Shots:

1-1
(9-15)

1-3
(11-13)

2-0
(22-19)

0-1
(2-3)

Total: 44-50

Referees: Brown/Miller | Spectators: 2450

03:57	\|	home	\|	PPG	\|	1-0	\|	Matt Murphy (Samuel Tremblay, Johnny Corneil)
12:05	\|	away	\|		\|	1-1	\|	Patrick Watling (Mitchell Balmas, Colton Saucerman)
24:50	\|	home	\|		\|	2-1	\|	Johnny Corneil (Austin Farley)
30:48	\|	away	\|	PPG	\|	2-2	\|	Patrick Harper (Robert Dowd, Mikko Juusola)
33:17	\|	away	\|		\|	2-3	\|	Mark Simpson (Brien Diffley, Colton Saucerman)
39:40	\|	away	\|	PPG	\|	2-4	\|	Patrick Watling (Josh Nicholls, Dominic Cormier)
50:31	\|	home	\|		\|	3-4	\|	Callum Fryer (Johnny Corneil)
57:02	\|	home	\|		\|	4-4	\|	Joe Morrow (Austin Farley, Cameron Critchlow)
63:04	\|	away	\|		\|	4-5	\|	Niklas Nevalainen (Scott Allen, Mark Simpson)

Manchester Storm

Sheffield Steelers

Name		G		A		PIM		+/-
Raymond Brice	\|		\|		\|	2	\|
Johnny Corneil	\|	1	\|	2	\|		\|	1
Cameron Critchlow	\|		\|	1	\|	2	\|	-1
Dallas Ehrhardt	\|		\|		\|		\|
Austin Farley	\|		\|	2	\|		\|
Callum Fryer	\|	1	\|		\|		\|	1
C.J. Garcia	\|		\|		\|		\|	1
Chase Harrison	\|		\|		\|		\|	-1
Stephen Johnson	\|		\|		\|	4	\|	-1
Michael Korol	\|		\|		\|		\|	-1
Connor Lee	\|		\|		\|		\|
Mitchell Martan	\|		\|		\|		\|
Joe Morrow	\|	1	\|		\|		\|	-1
Matt Murphy	\|	1	\|		\|	2	\|	-1
Zack Phillips	\|		\|		\|		\|
Zach Sullivan	\|		\|		\|		\|	1
Samuel Tremblay	\|		\|	1	\|		\|	-1

Name		G		A		PIM		+/-
Scott Allen	\|		\|	1	\|		\|	1
Mitchell Balmas	\|		\|	1	\|		\|	-1
Daniel Ciampini	\|		\|		\|		\|	1
Dominic Cormier	\|		\|	1	\|		\|	-1
Brien Diffley	\|		\|	1	\|		\|	2
Robert Dowd	\|		\|	1	\|		\|
Patrick Harper	\|	1	\|		\|		\|	-1
Sam Jones	\|		\|		\|	2	\|	-2
Mikko Juusola	\|		\|	1	\|		\|	-1
Brett Neumann	\|		\|		\|		\|
Niklas Nevalainen	\|	1	\|		\|	4	\|	1
Josh Nicholls	\|		\|	1	\|		\|
Colton Saucerman	\|		\|	2	\|		\|	1
Cole Shudra	\|		\|		\|		\|
Mark Simpson	\|	1	\|	1	\|		\|	1
Zach Vinnell	\|		\|		\|		\|
Patrick Watling	\|	2	\|		\|		\|	1
Brandon Whistle	\|		\|		\|		\|	-1

Manchester Storm

Sheffield Steelers

Name		SA		GA		MIN		%
Alexander Oldale	\|		\|		\|		\|
Evan Weninger	\|	50	\|	5	\|	63:04	\|	90.00

Name		SA		GA		MIN		%
Angus Laing	\|		\|		\|		\|
Anthony Morrone	\|	44	\|	4	\|	63:04	\|	90.91

Manchester Storm came back from two down to earn themselves a point against the league champions, but the Steelers struck just over three minutes into overtime to take the bonus point in front of 2,450 fans in Altrincham.

Manchester started well and were deservedly ahead off a Matt Murphy powerplay goal through traffic just 3:57 into the game. The hosts were rushing forward at speed, but gut caught on the rush the other way as Mitchel Balmas fed Patrick Watling for the back-post finish at 12:05.

In period two, it was again the home side that struck early – Johnny Corneil took the puck towards the boards and headed towards the net, beating Anthony Morrone with a file-hole finish just shy of the 25-minute mark. Storm were in the ascendency and should have gone further ahead – only a fantastic sprawling save from Morrone stopped Stephen Johnson adding the hosts’ third. That save was key to the visitors turning the game on its head in quick succession. Patrick Harper's shot rolled across the crease and deflected in off CJ Garcia's skate to level the game at 30:48, while just over two minutes later Mark Simpson shot neatly through a screen to make it 3-2.

Storm killed a two-minute 5-on-3 to start period three, giving them some momentum after falling behind. After a series of chances, and excellent stops by Morrone including a poke check on a Mitchell Martan breakaway, the home side’s pressure eventually told with Callum Fryer following up a rebound from a Corneil effort to make it a one-goal game with 9:29 to play. The noise levels in the Shelter went up a notch and their team responded – on the powerplay, Joe Morrow crashed a shot home through traffic to tie the game with 2:58 to play.

Both teams taking a point after regulation felt a fair reflection on the game, while in overtime both Weninger and Morrone came up big to keep the game alive. Niklas Nevalainen won it for the Steelers 3:04 into bonus hockey with a shot into the very top corner of Weninger’s net.