Sheffield Steeldogs produced a composed and resilient performance on the road as they defeated Bristol Pitbulls 3-1, sealing the points with a late empty-net goal in a tight, physical contest.
The opening period was a stop-start affair dominated by penalties, with both sides struggling to find early rhythm. Despite power-play chances at both ends, neither team was able to break the deadlock and the sides headed into the first intermission scoreless.
Sheffield made the breakthrough early in the second period. At 23:26, Joe Matthewman opened the scoring, getting his first as a Steeldog! A well-worked move with assists from Jacob Brammer and Joonas Larinmaa to give the Steeldogs a deserved lead.
Bristol responded midway through the period when Max Wigfield converted on the power play at 34:29 to level the game. The Steeldogs answered back quickly, reclaiming the lead at 37:29 as Kyle Watson found the net, assisted by Larinmaa and netminder Brady Parker, sending Sheffield into the final break with a 2-1 advantage.
The third period saw Sheffield defend resolutely under pressure, limiting the Pitbulls’ opportunities while looking to strike on the counter. With Bristol pushing for an equaliser late on and electing to pull their netminder after a timeout, the Steeldogs sealed the result. Joonas Larinmaa fired into the empty net at 59:36 to confirm the road victory.
A strong defensive effort and smart game management ensured Sheffield returned north with a deserved two points.
Brady Parker was awarded Man of the Match after a stellar performance between the pipes.