Sunday jinx hits Sheffield Steelers - defeat to Swindon Wildcats

They went down 5-3 to Swindon Wildcats.

A week after a penalty shot defeat down against the same opposition, Sheffield were looking to take the win

And when Adrian Palak ripped a shot past Stevie Lyle at 2:08, it put them on the front foot.

Wildcats stacked offence took full advantage of their first power play with Malasinski firing the puck top corner. They repeated the punishment with Lee Richardson scoring to give Swindon the lead after 20 minutes.

The visitors continued to look dangerous and had chances to extend the lead but between James Hadfield and his posts, they didn't. At the 32:40 mark, Stanislav Lascek showed that Sheffield's power play also had teeth with a great strike.

Wildcats were rocking and it took the Dogs just over three minutes to retake the lead; great skating from Macaulay Heywood creating the space and time to beat Lyle.

It was a familiar pattern in the final session as another power play for the visitors led to another goal through ex-Steeler Phil Hill.

The turning point came at 44:20; Birbraer went down off the puck and after a meeting of the officials, Arnoldas Bosas was ejected for checking to the head. Birbraer scored during the five minute advantage to put Swindon ahead.

The ex-Cardiff man was again involved as a nasty clash saw Steeldogs Captain Ben Morgan down on the ice an unable to move for several minutes. He was helped off the ice eventually but no penalty was called.

In the final two minutes, Hadfield was benched to give Sheffield an extra attacker but Swindon stole the puck to seal the win with an empty net goal.

As a bad tempered game concluded, Callum Pattison skated into Lyle and ended up fighting Kostal. Pattison was ejected and Coach Greg Wood was one of three others given misconduct penalties.

Greg Wood will need to get his team focused on what went well ahead of a three game weekend which starts on Friday when Hull are at iceSheffield for the second leg of the Bradfield Brewery Cup (7:30 face-off).