Steelers leave it late to beat Belfast

SHEFFIELD STEELERS boss Dave Matsos insists he is happy to win ugly after his side took another step towards the Elite League title with an overtime win over Belfast Giants.

The Steelers thrashed Basingstoke 6-0 on Saturday while the Giants were surprisingly beaten at Cardiff to leave their own title hopes on the brink.

And Scott Basiuk heaped more misery on Belfast as his overtime effort sealed a 4-3 victory for the Steelers and kept their 11-point lead intact at the top of the table.

There are now just 11 games to play and the Steelers will need a collapse of epic proportions to miss out on the title and while Matsos conceded his side didn't play well he is adamant winning is all that counts at this stage of the season.

"It doesn't matter that it went into overtime; we got the maximum four points we needed from the weekend," said Matsos.

"We did what we had to win, but we didn't play our best. We looked a little disjointed, a little weak mentally.
"Conditioning wise we were all there, but mentally we were off. But that said we still have the positive of winning."

Colin Shields and Malcolm McMillan twice put the Giants ahead but Robert Dowd and Brad Cruickshank levelled things up.

Jeff Legue gave the home side their first lead at the start of the third period before Evan Cheverie sent the game into overtime but Basiuk had the final say bagging his fourth goal of the season during a power play in the 63^rd minute.

Nottingham remain in second place after a 5-1 win against Hull Stingrays while Coventry are third after ending a three-game losing streak by beating Cardiff Devils 6-4.

Basingstoke succumbed to their ninth loss on the bounce, equalling the Elite League record, as two goals from Newcastle's Derek Campbell secured a 3-1 win.

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TOM REYNOLDS