Ice Hockey
Sheffield Steelers take Playoff title
bmibaby Elite Ice Hockey League
2008 Playoff Final.
Coventry Blaze 0 Sheffield Steelers 2.
"Basically, I thought tonight we played the perfect game."
Such were the thoughts of Steelers victorious coach Dave Matsos on Sunday, after his side won the playoff title with a performance that should, if this team stays together, send a shudder through the Elite League for the 2008-09 season.
Goals from Jonathan Phillips on 13.40 and Dan Tessier on 35.03 sealed the victory for Sheffield, who dominated the game from start to finish, turning the classy, all-conquering Coventry Blaze from odds-on favourites into a meek shadow of its usual self by the end of 60 minutes.
Rarely this season have Blaze been made to look so average. But with a couple of powerplay exceptions in the second period, Blaze were second to everything. The team seemed shapeless and tired, which only emphasised the vitality of Sheffield's challenge.
The final was a contrast to Saturday's semis, where Coventry, battered for 15 minutes, stepped up a gear and eventually eased past Newcastle Vipers 4-2.
Sheffield, meanwhile, took part in a scrappy but passionate tussle with Cardiff Devils, booking their place after a 2-1 win.
This victory was third time lucky for Steelers after being coming second already this season in the Challenge Cup (to Nottingham Panthers) and the League (to Blaze).
In truth, though, this performance - a gritty, fast, hard-hitting, no-nonsense bulldoze through a Blaze side accustomed to turning teams over with relative ease - was the culmination of a momentum that had been gathering since shortly after Christmas.
The Steelers had a poor start to the season, which came to a head after a 4-0 home defeat to Manchester Phoenix in January. After that, though, the side became stronger, eventually running Coventry a close second for the league title. The playoffs were their moment and they picked it brilliantly.
Matsos said: "We were fast tonight,and that was key. It was all about winning battles. We were first. If it was a 50-50 puck it was our puck. They won the battles in the corners. And they got the goals.
"This is unreal and we'll savour it. We had a good team spirit all season, and hopefully we can carry this through to next season."
Steelers man of the match, netminder Jody Lehman, said he could give it up tomorrow and be happy after this win.
"I could walk away tomorrow and look back on my career and say I've done it. I could do that, now.
"This was the big one, for me. I won things with Coventry and had good times there, but I was starting to doubt myself - they had beaten me three times and I thought 'how come I can't play this big game against these guys, can I do this any more? It gets inside your head.
"But now, to win this and shut these guys out - this means everything. Now I can look myself in the mirror and say I still got it."
Steelers captain Jonathan Phillips said: "There has been a great team spirit all season. It took a while for new faces to gel, but we've been getting stronger all the time, and to repay the faith the fans have had in us all along - it's the best feeling."
8:33pm Monday 7th April 2008
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