Steelers get a big Legue up to third in table

STEELERS got back on the winning trail last night, but were made to work hard for a win that put them in third place in the table.

At 2-0 up in eight minutes, they looked comfortable winners...but were then forced to spend the rest of the night hanging on to the lead.

And it was a relieved Arena crowd that welcomed the final hooter to bring home maximum points.

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The sometimes nervy-match was one Steelers could not afford to lose, having been shut-out at home six days earlier, their fourth defeat in seven matches.

A win, however ugly, was the one thing required to bring extra confidence into the camp.

They did so despite being outshot 43-17.

The forwards had gone into Manchester clash with a modest 14 per cent Power Play success rate - half that of league leaders' Coventry Blaze.

But the game was just two minutes old when Steelers' PP unit clicked, bringing Doug Sheppard's fourth goal in five outings.

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The lead was doubled at 8;40 with a second marker, a goal which finally showed the fans what Jeff Legue is capable of, the back-from-injury Canadian outskating goalie Scott Fankhouser to a loose puck before rifing home.

"That's what we brought him in for," beamed coach Dave Matsos later.

With Randy Dagenais and Steve Munn outstanding at the back, and Jason Hewitt catching the eye with every shift, Sheffield were well worth the first interval lead, although Phoneix had been unlucky when KC Timmons crashed a rebound on to Jody Lehman's post.

Lehman effectively took sole charge of the middle session with his one-man show of defiance confounding Phoenix.

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The netminder made three brilliant saves - the pick being when Rod Sarich gave the puck away on the PP, allowing danger-man Joe Tallari a free skate on goal.

The fans were chanting Lehman's name after another block from Adam Walker.

But with the home side having to kill two 5-on-3 PPs, there was little action at the other end, other than one counter-attack which almost yielded Legue his second.

Steelers remained on the back foot for much of the last period.

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Manchester deservedly got one back at 42;32, Tony Hand's shot rebounding to Sean Starke to convert.

Lehman's frustration boiled over when he got involved in a brief brawl following the goal.

Manchester scented an equaliser and Simon Mangos hit the post again as Sheffield struggled to clear their zone.

Play opened up and while Sheffield were mostly under pressure, they still summoned up efforts of their own on Fankhouser, notably from Legue and Joe Talbot.

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There was a late flurry of excitement as Phoenix pulled their goalie for an extra skater in the final minute.

Steelers held out and now hope to get their second win of the weekend, tonight, at Nottingham Panthers.

Don't miss the match details in Monday's Star and on www.thestar.co.uk

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