Telford Tigers 8-5 Sheffield Steeldogs: Late surge secures back-to-back wins

Finn Howells scored a treble, David Thomson and Devon Skoleski both netted twice and James Smith got on the score sheet for Telford 

Telford had led 5-2, only for the Steeldogs to level at the start of the third period, but the hosts found their range with three late goals to secure back-to-back wins. 

“We found a way to win after getting into a strong position with a three-goal lead in the second period but were guilty of mismanaging the game," head coach Watkins said.

"Poor decisions cost us and gave Sheffield a route back in when the game should be dead and buried. That element of our performance was disappointing.

"That said, at 5-5 we were very clinical on our power play with some very well taken goals and we took back that three-goal advantage and were able to close the game down from there.”

Lucas Price started his three-game suspension after he was ejected from the 3-2 win over Swindon in their previous outing for abuse of an official, while Ross Connolly and Deakan Fielder also joined him on the side lines. 

Tigers started the game on the back foot but recovered to take the lead when Thomson hit a low wrist shot from the right circle to open the scoring. 

Sheffield equalised two minutes later after Walker Sommer added the finishing touches to a crisp passing move between Jonathan Phillips and Tim Smith. 

Telford restored their lead in the latter stages of the first period when Thomson and Eric Henderson combined effectively to set-up Skoleski.

Howells doubled Telford's lead in the opening seconds of the second period after he latched on to a defence-splitting pass from Rhodes Mitchell-King to slam a powerful back handed shot in off the bar. 

James Smith added a fourth two minutes later when Smith deflected Mitchell-King's shot from the blue line beyond the reach of Sheffield net minder Curtis Warburton. 

The visitors hit back twice in quick succession with goals from Nathan Ripley and Phillips reducing the deficit to just a single goal. 

Henderson set-up Thompson to double his tally from Tigers' first power play but Sheffield kept the contest finely balanced when Thomas Barry scored before the end of the second period. 

But Telford would go on to dominate the rest of the game as Howells restored their two-goal cushion from another power play when his shot flew in off the crossbar. 

Telford continued their clinical form from power plays when Howells completed his hat-trick. Henderson sent a pass across the circles for an unmarked Howells who mercilessly sent a wrist shot into the empty net. 

Sheffield had no response and Tigers were relentless in their pursuit of more goals in the third period. 

Just a minute later, Thomson and Henderson combined in attack, with the latter registering his fifth assist of the night for Skolevski to slot home with a well-placed shot.