Matt Greenfield extends Sheffield Steelers shutout record in opening night win
Greenfield had already moved beyond Jody Lehman’s previous club record of 24 shutouts last season
Matt Greenfield added another milestone to his Sheffield Steelers career on Saturday night, recording the 26th shutout of his time with the club in a 6-0 victory over Coventry Blaze.
Greenfield had already moved beyond Jody Lehman’s previous club record of 24 shutouts last season, and the clean sheet against Coventry extended his own benchmark.
The American netminder has now played 228 games for the Steelers since joining from ECHL side Kansas City Mavericks in 2022.
Despite another personal landmark, Greenfield was quick to focus on the wider significance of the win.
“I’m happy with the shutout, it always feels good,” he said.
“But more importantly, we got the win.
“I think it was a big one for our group because it showed what we can do when we’re rolling.”
Greenfield admitted the possibility of a shutout does eventually enter a goaltender’s mind, but insisted concentration remains the priority.
“You never like to think about it too early,” he said.
“Once you come in after the second period and there’s still a zero on the board, your mind starts to wander there a little bit.
“But it’s more important to stay focused, stay in the moment and make sure the other team can’t climb back into the game.”
The 6-0 scoreline perhaps did not tell the whole story of the opening exchanges, with Greenfield believing Coventry started strongly.
“I thought they came out pretty hard and ready to go,” he said.
“We had to weather a bit of a storm in the first five minutes.
“But once we got going, I thought our transition game really started to show.”
Greenfield has also been impressed by the new-look defensive group in front of him.
“They’re outstanding,” he said.
“They block shots, play physical, move the puck well and are tough guys to play against.
“They’re also great guys in the room, so I’m really happy with the defence we’ve got.”
And with the Steelers possessing plenty of speed and offensive talent, Greenfield believes supporters could be in for an entertaining season.
“When our guys are getting the puck with speed and going downhill, we’re going to be a tough team to handle,” he said.
“It’s a joy to watch and I think the fans are going to be excited by some of the plays this group can make this year.”