Sheffield Steelers 5-2 Manchester Storm – Steelers too strong for Storm

Mikko Kuukka in his last game for Steelers. Pic by Hayley Roberts.

The Finnish skater's 16-game spell with Steelers came to a close after Wednesday's 5-2 victory against Manchester Storm in the quarter final first leg.

The 34-year-old is heading back home and could be replaced before the weekend, if a deal goes through with another European blueliner.

Meanwhile, another Finn Janne Kolehmainen was making his home debut as Steelers sought to secure passage to the semis and he had an effort on goal in his first shift.

Goalie Tomas Duba needed medical attention after a collision with Scott Simmonds in an otherwise low key opening where there were few quality chances.

But just as Steelers started to look offensively dangerous - Anthony DeLuca seeing his shot cannon off Matt Ginn's glove - they were caught cold.

Manchester won a battle for the puck down the left wing and a quality pass from Tyson Fawcett left a wide open goal for Simmonds to score at 15:10.

But Steelers were back it four minutes later, when Michael Davies scored his first goal in eight games, wriggling around Ginn and roofing the puck with perfect precision.

An explosive middle period saw four goals, a savage fight and a player kicked out the game.

It started Ginn again beaten through close control skills of a Steeler forward, this time Marco Vallerand.

DeLuca was foiled on a breakaway and Adam Hughesman brilliantly back-checked Tanner Eberele with a chance begging.

But the game boiled over when Brendan Connolly and Tyson Fawcett laid into each other, mid-skate, in Storm's zone.

Michael Davies celebrates his goal against Manchester. Pic by Dean Woolley

Connolly was facially cut and Fawcett received a game misconduct after he unwisely wrestled with officials, at 33:56.

When calm was restored at Sheffield Arena, Davies bagged his second of the night but that was followed swiftly by Simmonds stroking in a rebound off Duba, for 3-2.

However the two-goal advantage returned in Steelers' favour when Jonathan Phillips swept in John Armstrong's pass at 37:55.

The home side had their hands full with penalty kills in the final segment.

A bloody Brendan Connolly after his scrap. Pic by Dean Woolley

Mario Puskarich and Layne Ulmer wasted good opportunities for Storm and Duba denied Simmonds his hat-trick.

Eberle then gave Steelers their fifth of the night, his shot trickling under Ginn at 55:57 - an important goal given Sheffield's difficulties in Altrincham earlier this season and a first assist for Kolehmainen.

The concluding leg over the Pennines is on Wednesday next week.

*Steelers expect to have injured winger Robert Dowd back on Saturday for the League visit of Fife Flyers.