Author Archives: Peter
Yorkshire Choice Awards
In case you missed it, we’ve been nominated for ‘Sporting Achievement of the Year’ in the Yorkshire Choice Awards!
But we now need your help!
Please click on the link below and to head to the YCA website where you can vote for the Sheffield Steelkings!
(Our very own Barry Grayson and Andy Atkinson are also up for awards! Baz for ‘Inspirational Individual of the Year’ and Andy for the ‘Kate Granger for Outstanding Achievement’ – Due to their involvement in para ice hockey and the club! Please vote for them at the same time).
www.yorkshirechoiceawards.co.uk/votehere
If you can share this with everybody you know that would also be amazing! Thank you from everyone at the Steelkings! We really appreciate it!
Exciting News Alert!
We are pleased to announce that the Winter Blast will be returning for 2019!!!
So please join us at IceSheffield for our annual inter-club Christmas exhibition game.
It’s completely FREE for all spectators, so make sure you, your family and your friends join us on Thursday 19th December for what will be another great game or Para Ice Hockey
Steelkings beat Mayhem in War of the Roses
Hat-tricks from Matt Clarkson and debutant Matt Woollias helped Sheffield Steelkings to a 7-4 triumph over the table topping Manchester Mayhem in Altrincham on Sunday.
They lead 2-1 after a first period in which they had Manchester pegged inside their own zone for extended periods; Clarkson and club Chairman Jake Oakley scoring either side of Karl Nicholson’s tally for Manchester. The period was played at a furious tempo as the Steelkings cycled the puck with pace and fluidity, whereas Manchester looked dangerous on the break.
The second half was a scrappier affair and Manchester exerted more pressure of their own but Woollias gave Sheffield a 3-1 lead on a break-away effort on 25:47.
Manchester stormed back into the game to tie it up 3-3 by the start of the third period. The first came with 2:58 remaining in the second as Nicholson swept home a rebound from the centre of the Steelkings zone and then Anthony Booth took advantage of a break-away to level things up with 11:37 left to play.
Sheffield had to go and win the game again and did so. Woollias struck his second and third goals with 6:52 and 5:15 to play – the latter a back-post tap-in from a Clarkson cross, before Clarkson made the score 6-3, firing across goal into the top left corner of the net inside the final two minutes.
There was a late trading of goals in the final eighty seconds as Manchester struck back again through their own hat-trick hero Nicholson, before Clarkson secured the victory and earned his own hat-trick with a long-range effort with 31 seconds to play.
“I’m one very proud coach right now!” said Oakley afterwards, “We had a plan and together took down a great team. Everyone played their part and we got that result as a team.”
We play our first home game of the season this Sunday vs. the Peterborough Phantoms at IceSheffield at 16:15.
Written by Mike Rhodes
Photographs by Simon Gill and Anne Fotheringham
Steelkings tame the Huskies
Matt Clarkson struck twice and Jake Oakley once as the Sheffield Steelkings Para Ice Hockey club began their league campaign with a 3-1 away win over the Cardiff Huskies on Saturday.
The Steelkings had to soak up a lot of early Cardiff pressure, but took the lead towards the end of the first period when Clarkson’s speculative effort from inside his own half found its way under the Huskies goaltender. They then had to rely on their own goalie Bryan Hackworth to make some key saves as the Huskies looked for an immediate response.
Sheffield grew into the game as it went on and doubled their lead in the second period. Clarkson was put through on goal by Oakley and again he finished under the goaltender from the inside right hash for his second of the game.
![7_Sheffield_Steelkings_v_Cardiff_Huskies_-_Matt_Clarkson[1]](https://i1.wp.com/chasingthepuck.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/7_Sheffield_Steelkings_v_Cardiff_Huskies_-_Matt_Clarkson1.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1)
In the third period, Oakley got free of a defender to set up a one-on-one with the Cardiff netminder, and whilst his first shot was high, the puck bounced back off the backboards for him to bundle home his own rebound.
The Steelkings had to see out a late penalty for too many men on the ice but came good on the penalty kill, only for Cardiff to strike a late consolation as Russ Wiley fired in a rebound at close range.
![1_Sheffield_Steelkings_v_Cardiff_Huskies_-_Barry_Grayson[1]](https://i1.wp.com/chasingthepuck.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/1_Sheffield_Steelkings_v_Cardiff_Huskies_-_Barry_Grayson1.jpg?resize=640%2C427&ssl=1)
Oakley said, “I’m really proud of everyone. All the players worked hard for each other and gave what they could and I’d like to thank the off-ice staff for all their efforts too.
We had to deal with a lot of pressure from Cardiff and they’re a very good side. It feels great to get our season off to a winning start.”
With the British Para Ice Hockey League adapting a 5 point system, the Steelkings earned 4.5 points for Saturday’s result: 2 points for winning the game, 1 point each for winning the first two periods 1-0, and 0.5 points for tying the third period 1-1.
The Huskies take the 0.5 points for the tied third period.
The Steelkings travel to Manchester next Sunday to face the Mayhem with a 16:15 face-off at Planet Ice Rink Altrincham.
Written by Mike Rhodes
Steelkings Slay Dragons!
Sheffield Steelkings won their first ever game on foreign soil on Saturday, beating France’s Rouen Dragons 2-0.
Barry Grayson and Jake Oakley struck early in the first and third periods respectively to secure a comfortable victory. Rouen had speed in their line-up but Steelkings got off to the best possible start as Grayson’s speculative effort from the right of the Rouen zone found its way under the goaltender’s blocker and over the line to give Sheffield the lead at 3:31.
For the rest of the period the Steelkings looked comfortable but struggled to break through Rouen, who kept bodies in front of goal and tried to use their speed to launch counter-attacks.
The Steelkings looked to extend their advantage in the second period and find a way to make their pressure count. But it was Rouen who had the best chance of the period on a breakaway, only to be denied by Steelkings Goaltender Tom Wilton, who superbly saving the one-on-one.
Rouen continued to frustrate the visitors in the third period until the Steelkings finally extended their lead with a powerplay goal: Oakley received a feed from Grayson and saw his shot hit a Rouen defender and looped over the goaltender at 33:12.
Rouen had an opportunity to pull one back on another breakaway, but the Steelkings defence kept their shooter wide and Wilton again saved well.
Steelkings had late chances to extend their lead. First t was Oakley who forced the goaltender into tipping a shot onto the crossbar and shortly after Wayne Plummer had a close-range effort blocked on the line, but they were unable to further their lead.
“I am so proud of each and every one of the Steelkings who travelled to France,” said Steelkings Chairman Jake Oakley. “We were completely against the odds but came back with a victory”.
“We had a long drive, with a small team and some of which are very new to the Steelkings. We faced a strong team which was bolstered with players from other French teams; but our hard work and commitment shone through!”
“We are very grateful to the Rouen Dragons for inviting us for an absolutely brilliant game. Their hospitality was great and we have had a wonderful time and we hope to return the favour in the future”.
“Our first ever game outside of the U.K has been an amazing experience and we can’t wait to do it again in the future.”
It turned out to be a good day on the continent for British Para Ice Hockey as the Cardiff Huskies also travelled to Belgium to beat the Antwerp Phantoms 3-0 too.
Words: Mike Rhodes
🚨 TEAM SPONSOR ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
This time we have someone new to announce!
As we start to turn our attentions towards the 2019 season, we are proud to announce a new team sponsor for 2019!
🚨 TEAM SPONSOR ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
As we start to turn our attentions towards the 2019 season, we are proud to announce we have another returning sponsor for 2019! Once again we welcome back 19eleven to the Steelkings family!
We are very grateful for the continued support of the Steelkings and para ice hockey here in Sheffield!
🚨 TEAM SPONSOR ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
As we start to turn our attentions towards the 2019 season, we are very proud to announce that Cross Check Clothing will be returning to the Steelkings family once again!
We are very grateful for Cross Checks continued support of the Steelkings and para ice hockey here in Sheffield!…
Cross Check also designed our brand new ‘Hail to the Kings’ T-shirts that we had on sale during our Kings Cup game. Make sure you check out our stall when we next play and check them out!
🚨 TEAM SPONSOR ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
As we start to turn our attentions towards the 2019 season, we are proud to announce that Irwin Mitchell will be returning to the Steelkings family once again!
We are very grateful for Irwin Mitchell continued support of the Steelkings and para ice hockey here in Sheffield!
