Steelers run out of wheels

Sheffield Steelers are still without a win at the midway stage of the Superleague play-offs. The league and cup winners need a rapid improvement in form and fitness if they are to achieve the triple.

"We'll get no help," said their coach Mike Blaisdell after their 2-0 home defeat to Nottingham Panthers on Saturday. "No one wants to play a healthy Sheffield Steelers in the finals."

The Steelers' problems worsened on Friday when Lain Fraser suffered a knee injury in a 3-2 overtime defeat by London. "We are so beaten up from winning the league and played last weekend without six forwards," Blaisdell said. "I hate to make excuses but our injuries are horrible."

Timo Willman reduced their manpower further when he picked up a game penalty for elbowing Jason Elders on Saturday. Elders, making light of his broken nose, and Scott Allison scored powerplay goals 31 seconds apart for Panthers and Mika Pietila made 25 saves to earn his third shut-out of the play-offs.