They may be missing two key players, but the Steelers proved last Friday they have enough strength in depth to remain a powerful force.
The team made light of the absence of Eric Schmidt and Corey Mercier by ripping apart the Ponoka Midget Wolves in the third period.
They unleashed a six-goal barrage at the Agrena to end up worthy 9-5 winners.
This was a bruising, physical encounter, with both teams consistently running into penalty problems, but the Steelers maintained their intensity until the final buzzer.
Coach Daniel Lefebvre was delighted with the fighting spirit displayed by his team.
“I was very proud of the way they stepped up today to compensate for their missing teammates,” he said.
Lefebvre said Schmidt had suffered a broken collar bone, which could put him out of action for the better part of the season.
He added Mercier was expected to be sidelined for four weeks with a shoulder problem.
The Steelers were hungry from the start on Friday and were soon enjoying a 3-0 lead.
It was Brett Bujold who began the goal feast, finding the target at 9:40 and 8:51, with assists by Nick Perdaems, Brandt Morris, Tyson Chizma and Grayson Mills.
Jordan Smith then struck home at 7:05 from Scott Westerlund, before the Wolves got on the scoreboard near the end of the first.
The second period was a quiet one for the Steelers, who seemed content to soak up Wolves’ pressure and threaten through counterattacks.
The Wolves were rewarded with goals at 13:53 and 0:29 to tie the game up 3-3 going into the third period.
Whatever Lefebvre said during the intermission worked, for the Steelers tore into their opponents from the start of the third, with Westerlund scoring at 14:57, assisted by Perdaems and Cole Walker.
Dustin Bell pulled one back for the Wolves, but that only spurred the Steelers on to an even greater effort. They scored four successive goals through Perdaems, Brandt Morris, Jordan Boulerice and Bujold.
By now Wolves were clearly showing signs of frustration. As their discipline began to go, they were increasingly caught out of position, something the Steelers exploited effectively.
Although the Wolves scored through Riley Workman at 2:23, the Steelers soon completed their night’s work with a Chizma goal.
Lefebvre praised the offensive play of his side. He also believed communication among his players – a cause for concern earlier in the season – had improved.
Friday’s victory helped soften the disappointment of a 5-2 loss to Stettler on Dec. 9.
The Steelers next take on Vegreville Wranglers at the Agrena on Friday.
