Ice Hockey: Nwcastle Vipers 2 Sheffield Steelers 4

Feb 28 2010 Sunday Sun

Jason Tejchma crashed down the right wing, cut inside and beat Verner with a fine near-post finish.

Legue could have and should have restored the Steelers’ two-goal cushion on two occasions and the visitors paid for these misses when the Vipers conjured up a 32nd-minute equaliser.

From a Tejchma shot, the puck cannoned off Verner’s chest and Ben Campbell put the puck away, his seventh league goal of the season and the “bash” was on again.

Without producing too much danger, the Vipers started the better of the two sides in the third period, but the Steelers went ahead again six minutes after the re-start.

Set up right in front of goal, Jonathan Zion fired the puck high into the net over the goalie’s left shoulder. The Vipers were soon given another powerplay opportunity and when Legue joined team-mate Scott Basiuk in the away penalty box, the Vipers had a one-minute 38-second two-skater advantage.

Unfortunately, the puck spent too much time in the Vipers zone during the five-on-three powerplay and the remaining one-man advantage was equally ineffective.

The Vipers were again on the powerplay when the Steelers captain Jonathan Phillips was caught hooking and to the crowd’s frustration the Vipers couldn’t capitalise on the opportunity.

With just over two minutes remaining, Hubbauer came close to making it 4-2 with a low slap-shot that hit the base of Robinson’s left hand post.

It did become 4-2 though with five seconds left to play. Robinson was drawn to the bench when Hubbauer scored the empty-net goal following a turnover.