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Buzzer report: Swindon Wildcats 3 Sheffield Steeldogs 0
Swindon Wildcats opened their account for 2016 in style, sweeping away Sheffield Steeldogs in front of a packed Swindon Ice Arena. Total Sport's Ben Callaghan was rink-side to recall the action.
Saturday evening saw the Swindon Wildcats start 2016 with a winning mentality. The Cats ran out 3-0 winners in front of a packed Link Centre. The Wildcats were significantly boosted by the return to action of Carlo Finucci. Unfortunately Swindon were without the suspended Matt Selby who was replaced in the line-up by Oliver Stone.
Swindon were in control from the off and managed to take an early lead at 6:12 when the returning Carlo Finucci got the Wildcats first goal of 2016. Neil Liddiard and Callum Buglass linked up to find the Canadian whose shot went high above Dalibor Sedlar in the Sheffield goal. Swindon continued to control the contest and they doubled their lead at 11:02.
Tomasz Malasinski was the man who got Swindon's second. The Polish international fired a laser beam of a shot which hit the crossbar and deflected into the net, a shot which Sedlar had no chance of stopping. Only 46 seconds later Swindon were on the scoresheet again when Toms Rutkis pounced on a rebound to slide the puck underneath Sedlar for a third goal of the night and Toms' second goal in as many home games.
The opening period finished 3-0 despite Swindon going incredibly close to scoring two more goals after Callum Buglass and Aaron Nell both hit the pipework.
The rest of the match would prove goal-less but the game was still a very intriguing contest. Sheffield did create chances of their own, Arnoldas Bosas and Tom Squires looking the most threatening over the 60 minutes but neither could break Lyle's shut-out.
The third period Swindon played a more solid game and knew if they played hard around Stevie Lyle they would convert the lead into a victory. Sheffield skated as hard as ever but the buzzer sounded and the shut-out was intact. In what was a solid but unspectacular victory the Cats did enough to ensure the two points remained in SN5.
Swindon now travel to Surrey to take on the Guildford Flames hoping they can get their first four point weekend of 2016.
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