The Sheffield Steelers’ dream of playoff glory came to a dramatic and heartbreaking end on Saturday night, as the Nottingham Panthers edged a thrilling semi-final contest 4–3 in overtime to book their place in the EIHL Playoff Final.
Sheffield stormed out of the gates, dominating the opening 20 minutes with relentless pressure and a lopsided 17–3 shot count. Despite missing key forwards Mark Simpson and Veeti Vainio, the Steelers’ depth and intensity were on full display. Goaltender Matthew Greenfield stood tall in the Sheffield net, while counterpart Jason Grande was kept busy throughout the period.
The breakthrough came late in the frame at 18:43 when Daniel Leavens fed Sam Tremblay in the slot, and the forward buried a one-timer low past Grande to give the Steelers a well-deserved 1–0 lead heading into the break.
The Steelers kept their foot on the gas to start the second and doubled their lead at 34:14. Mitchell Balmas flew down the right wing and unleashed a rocket over Grande’s glove to make it 2–0.
Nottingham responded on the powerplay after Brandon Whistle was sent to the box for boarding. At 37:40, Cooper Zech capitalised from the high slot, cutting the deficit to 2–1. The Panthers finished the period strong, but Greenfield came up with a huge save in the dying seconds to preserve Sheffield’s narrow lead heading into the third.
The Panthers tied the game early in the third at 42:00, with Reid Stefanson tipping in a shot from David Bunz. Despite a disputed hooking call on Juusola, the Steelers killed the penalty and looked dangerous with a powerplay of their own later in the period.
But at 57:41, Nottingham took the lead for the first time, with Mitchell Fossier jamming in a rebound past Greenfield. The Steelers answered just 58 seconds later—Balmas again the hero—when his shot ricocheted off the backboards and off Grande to tie the game 3–3 in sensational fashion.
With overtime barely underway, the Panthers struck the fatal blow. Sam Herr broke down the right wing and roofed a shot over Greenfield just 34 seconds into the extra frame, sealing a dramatic 4–3 victory for Nottingham and sending them into the final.
The Steelers will now regroup for a third-place showdown with the Belfast Giants, while the Panthers march on to face the Cardiff Devils in Sunday’s championship decider.
First Period [1-0] – Tremblay Strikes Late as Steelers Dominate Opening Period in Playoff Semi-Final
The Sheffield Steelers came out flying in the first period of their Playoff Semi-Final clash against arch-rivals Nottingham Panthers, dominating possession, piling on the pressure, and finally breaking through late to take a deserved 1-0 lead into the intermission.
With key players, Mark Simpson and Veeti Vainio ruled out through injury, Sheffield leaned on depth and experience, backed by their league MVP and netminder of the year, Matthew Greenfield. Opposite him stood Jason Grande, one of the EIHL’s breakout stars this season, setting the stage for a goaltending duel between two of the league’s best.
From the opening faceoff, the Steelers took control, outshooting the Panthers by a staggering 17–3 margin in the opening frame. They came close early when Brien Diffley’s shot forced a rebound that squirted through the crease but was swept away before danger. Kevin Tansey tested Grande with a wrister off a clean faceoff win by Mitchell Balmas, and Cole Shudra showcased some silky hands to create another chance, only to see Grande make a shoulder save and freeze the puck.
Daniel Leavens dazzled with a slick zone entry but opted to pass when a shooting lane opened, and Daniel Ciampini’s tireless forechecking generated more chances for the orange and black.
The Panthers managed a couple of rare counterattacks, forcing Greenfield into a pair of solid saves, but the momentum was firmly with Sheffield. Marco Vallerand teed up Patrick Watling for a golden opportunity that pinged off Grande’s shoulder, and Balmas continued to buzz, narrowly missing the post with a bullet before dancing through the slot moments later for another stop.
Emotions ran high as Mikko Juusola took a heavy hit late in the period, prompting captain Robert Dowd to leap in and defend his teammate, igniting a brief skirmish that further charged up the Steelers bench.
The breakthrough finally came at 18:43. Daniel Leavens carried the puck down the right wing and delivered a pinpoint pass into the slot, where Sam Tremblay arrived in stride and ripped a one-timer low past Grande’s right pad to give the Steelers the lead their dominance deserved.
After one, it was all Sheffield, up 1-0 on the scoreboard and fully in control of the semi-final showdown.
Second Period [2-1] – Balmas Buries, but Panthers Bite Back in Tense Middle Frame
The second period of this tightly contested Playoff Semi-Final saw momentum swing back and forth, as the Steelers extended their lead before the Panthers clawed their way back into the game with a late powerplay strike.
Sheffield began the middle frame much like they ended the first, on the front foot. The shot count continued to favour the Steelers, stretching to 30–17 by the end of the period, as they pressed for a cushion goal while Matthew Greenfield remained sharp in the Steelers’ net.
At 28:28, Mikko Juusola was sent to the box for hooking after Cooper Zech nearly tied the game for Nottingham. The Steelers’ penalty kill unit stepped up, with Daniel Ciampini and Brandon Whistle eating up valuable seconds, and Greenfield producing a superb save to maintain the lead. Sam Tremblay’s hustle stood out as he pinned the puck against the boards singlehandedly, draining crucial time from the clock.
The breakthrough came at 34:14, and it was a beauty from Mitchell Balmas. Picking up speed down the right wing, Balmas cut into the slot and ripped a laser over Jason Grande’s glove to double the Steelers’ lead to 2–0, sending the Sheffield fans into raptures.
But just as the Steelers looked to be taking control, the tide shifted. Brandon Whistle was assessed a two-minute boarding penalty near the benches at 36:14, handing the Panthers a powerplay opportunity. They made it count. At 37:40, Zech—who’d threatened earlier—made no mistake this time, hammering home a shot from the high slot past a screened Greenfield. Mitchell Fossier provided the assist, and suddenly, Nottingham had life.
Energised by the goal, the Panthers surged off the restart and nearly tied the game as the pressure mounted. Sheffield steadied, with Brandon Whistle nearly restoring the two-goal cushion late on, and Sam Tremblay forced Grande into a key stop with a blistering one-timer with 29 seconds remaining.
Greenfield was called upon once more in the dying seconds, denying Logan Roy with 16 ticks on the clock to preserve the 2–1 lead heading into the third. The game was finely poised, with both sides trading blows in a gripping second period that set the stage for a dramatic final frame.
Third Period & Overtime [3-4 (OT)] – Late Drama and Heartbreak as Panthers Edge Steelers in Third-Period Thriller
The final period of the Playoff Semi-Final clash between the Steelers and Panthers delivered a rollercoaster of emotions, with momentum swings, controversial calls, late goals, and an agonising overtime finish that ended the Steelers’ hopes of championship glory.
Just two minutes into the third, the Panthers found their equaliser. David Bunz circled the offensive zone and fired a shot toward the net, where Reid Stefanson redirected it past Matthew Greenfield. The play was reviewed for a potential high stick, but the goal stood, levelling the game at 2–2 and igniting the Panthers’ bench.
Controversy followed moments later as Mikko Juusola was called for hooking at centre ice; a decision that infuriated the Steelers’ bench, who argued it was merely a clean stick lift. Nevertheless, Sheffield killed off the penalty, helped in part by a thunderous hip check from Joona Huttula that brought the crowd to its feet.
At 52:27, the Panthers were penalised for slashing, offering the Steelers a powerplay chance. The man advantage produced a flurry of chances in the opening minute, but Jason Grande stood firm between the pipes.
With less than three minutes remaining, the Panthers struck again. Mitchell Fossier pounced on a rebound after Greenfield’s initial save, firing home to give Nottingham their first lead of the night at 3–2. Tim Doherty earned the lone assist on the go-ahead goal at 57:41.
In a desperate bid to rescue their season, Sheffield pulled Greenfield for the extra attacker. Just 58 seconds later, Mitchell Balmas delivered an extraordinary equaliser. Blasting a shot from the high slot that sailed high, the puck caromed off the end boards, off the back of Grande, and into the net for a remarkable unassisted tally at 58:39.
With regulation ending tied at 3–3, sudden-death overtime loomed large.
But heartbreak came swiftly. Just 34 seconds into overtime, Sam Herr cut in from the right wing and snapped a shot over Greenfield’s blocker to seal the win for the Panthers. Kristoff Kontos and Matt Spencer collected the assists on the game-winner that sent Nottingham to the Playoff Final and brought the Steelers’ championship run to a crushing end.
The Steelers now turn their focus to a third-place clash against the Belfast Giants, while the Panthers advance to face the Cardiff Devils in Sunday’s final for the last silverware of the EIHL season.
