Josh finds intensity to protect Sheffield Steelers' title lead

Josh Nicholls found the back of the net for the first time in 10 outings as Sheffield Steelers retained their 14-point lead at the top of the EIHL.

The 31-year-old Canadian has missed only one game in 48 so far this season but has recently found it difficult to find the net, as most of his forward colleagues have.

Saturday night, in a 6-4 win over Nottingham where both sides' defences were perhaps not at their best, Nicholls helped himself to two goals and an assist, his first three-point game of the season.

Coach Aaron Fox, who had hoped Nicholls would replicate his point-a-game average when he signed him last Summer, said Nicholls' relatively modest 11 minutes on the Sheffield Arena ice represented his best form in two months.

"Josh was outstanding...his compete level set him apart, we know he is a skilled forward when he makes plays but when he plays with that type of intensity and desperation he is elite" said Fox.

Steelers, who have been without injured forwards Brett Neumann and Mark Simpson need his offensive input with difficult matches at Guildford Flames tonight and then Cardiff Devils.

The Sheffield coaching staff is pleased to see the former Kunlun Red Star skater on song, together with the fact their side executed on both of their power play shifts.

Nicholls broke his barren streak to score at 5:46 to put Sheffield ahead, on the power play, but the lead was lost when Westin Michaud struck four minutes later.

Another PP goal followed, this time from Daniel Ciampini but Panthers again clawed their way back via Logan Neilson. Nottingham's resolve was tested again when defenceman Kevin Tansey continued his remarkable scoring run, his wrist shot delivering him his eighth point in five appearances.

The bottom-of-the-table visitors might have been able to take heart in the second interval that they were only 3-2 down, and close in terms of parity on shots on goal, considering some of their other results this season.

Sheffield were back to their dominating best for much of the final period, though, with Mikko Juusola and and Nicholls making it 5-2.

Hugo Roy and Michaud narrowed the margin to a single goal but Robert Dowd made certain of maximum points with five minutes remaining.

Attendance: 8,361