You might be looking at this title and thinking "The drubbing? Was 5-1 not the drubbing?"
Short answer - no. Long answer - we lost 7-1 and got dog walked around the SSE for nearly 60 minutes. Also no.
In the last post I did try and remain positive, and I dont think that was farfetched. Ask anyone who watched that game. We had a decent first period, we were unlucky for it to be 1-1 after the first period, the powerplay looked revitalised, we had breakaways, we had opportunities to make it more respectable. This game? What can I say about this game...
The mantra I have assumed with this project is "Analytical, not emotional". I do think, like all sports fans, I am prone to the emotional response or two at a game when a goal goes in, in either net, whether that emotion be jubilation or annoyance, but that doesn't help much when you want to explain to people why, on a purely sporting basis, something happened. But this game makes it very difficult to not be emotional. It was that bad.

With that pre-amble out of the way, lets all get emotional together!

Giants Goal No. 1

To define the word emotional in the context of this game, what I'm meaning to say is, trying not to swear. I was born in Doncaster, I have lived there my entire 29 years (for my sins). Swearing is as much a part of my vernacular as the letter A. This goal, and the next one, make it hard to not get emotional. So lets see why.

After an initial fairly decent zone clearance from Harper, where he just loops the puck in the air to the neutral zone, Juusola attempts to corral the puck but it doesn't fall nicely for him, Grant McFadden manages to swat at it, for J.J. Piccinich to pick it up, get on his horse and gain the blue line

At this point, all 5 Steelers players are back in their zone. McFadden has had enough, the other forward with Conway and JJ has gone for a line change. They are the only 2 Giants in the O Zone.

Tansey attempts to step up to separate man from puck, and completely whiffs on it

JJ steps around him, shifts the puck on to his backhand, and Juusola, poor sweet Juusola, cannot get to it, he shifts it over to Conway who makes absolutely sure this is going right where Greenfield cannot get it. 1-0.

This entire sequence was ridiculous. Fair play to Belfast, if there's a 50/50, they make it a 60/40. They had as much chance at getting that loose puck in the neutral zone as the Steelers did, and they came out with it. Where that play should have ended was at the top of the circles. Tansey misses his hit, and absolutely nobody cares that Conway is on own on an island on the other side of the slot, in prime position to do exactly what he did. Fox, in the post game, called out both Tansey and Cormier on this one, and whilst I 100% agree Tansey should get heat for it, Cormier I'm not so sure about. He could have gapped up better, yes, but he's respecting the shot, not the pass. He also has 3 forwards in front of him who could have taken Conway out of the picture 3 seconds ago. If there was such a thing as "school for those learning to defend", they'd show you this on day 1, in the class "don't do this"
I digress.

Goal 2 Belfast

The scorebug on some of these screenshots is gaslighting me, it was definitely only 1-0 at this point.
I will be upfront here and say that, I was watching this game live. The moment this puck found twine, I knew it was done, and started watching whichever NHL game was on instead. This goal exemplified everything we have done wrong this season, and continue to do wrong. There was a near carbon copy example of this goal in Fife. There was a chance that was exactly the same in Dundee. Manchester do this to us all the time. If you ever watch teams come at us behind the net and funnel pucks back in front, it's because they've seen us defend like a lost herd of sheep.
To truly understand this, you have to understand that below the hash marks, Steelers defend "zonaly". That is to say, with respect to where the puck is, you'd draw out semi circles and each player is assigned a zone. The wingers get out high, the centre is supporting the D men who's covering the puck, and the spare D man covers the net and the zone behind the back post, like so:

Zonal defending is good to keep the team in a unit. If the puck in the above graphic switches sides, the defensive unit does too, LD becomes RD and RW becomes LW. However, if you have a miscommunication and the puck carrier isn't handed off to the person in that zone... bad times occur - and occur they did.

After a spell of possession for Sheffield, the puck gets cleared far-side toward the benches to Nick Guay, who's being marked by Huttula. Huttala does a pretty good job of stopping his progression and knocking the puck back toward centre ice

Guay pounces on the loose puck and skates it back to centre ice, before Watling comes in and tries to dispossess him, doesn't happen, and he just hands it off to Gaudette, who gains the zone and feathers it in from just beyond the hash marks

This is where it gets bad.
Both D men and Tait go in to try and clear this up. Kelly comes across Greenfield and across the near post to Gaudette and tries to help it down the boards. Either he gets none of it, or gets just enough of it to slow it down and bounce it off the boards, but either way, not what he wanted to, and Huttula has to try and deal with it

Huttula comes in, attempts to clear it up and the puck gets knocked back to Gaudette, whilst Huttula, who is in the below screenshot unbelievably, is squashed against the boards.

Gaudette, who has all the space behind the net work work with. He swings round, and at this point, Kawaguchi has been down Go Outdoors, got himself a tent and a camping set and pitched it in front of Greenfield.

Kelly attempts to get to him but can't, Tremblay to his credit gets across and tries to lift his stick, but it's too late. The puck trickles into the centre of the slot, Kawaguchi comes across and picks it up, sends Greenfield swimming and it's 2-0 just like that.

Using the graphic about zonal defending above, just about nobody here is in position. There's two options, I think, to how this should have been handled,

Option A - Kelly should be with Kawaguchi, Tremblay should be on or under the goal line providing secondary support to Huttula, if not actively in the battle.
Option B - Huttula sees Kelly diving for it below the goal line, he should have just stayed in front of the net with Kawaguchi, Tremblay to his right on the goal line in case anything went wrong. Tait looks to be getting into position but no one else is. So it goes to pot.

Goal 3 Giants

Giants have gotten themselves setup in the zone on a powerplay and are cycling the puck pretty well, and pretty quickly, flexing between, as explained in the last post, a 1-3-1 and an umbrella. Steelers PK is dealing with this quite well, and not trying to force the issue. The puck eventually finds it's way back to the blue line, and the Steelers find themselves here:

The problem here is already evident. Mike Lee has skated down the line and made Tremblay back off, so Tait has activated onto JJ to try and either cut out the pass or force him to fire it out down low behind the net to start the cycle again. He instead gives it right back to Lee, who's momentum is currently carrying him toward JJ
Lee takes this puck and him and Lee switch, carries on skating forward and gets to the top of the hash marks and shoots.

This is one I think Greenfield probably wants back. Benefit of the doubt, you've got a man on you, and Tansey stood in line with Mike Lee, effectively provided 2 layers of a screen. You've definitely got limited vision, and given Lee shoots across to the opposite corner, I'm not sure Greenfield knew much about this, and Tait maybe could have done better to try and get across to force Lee to pass this rather than shoot, but it is what it is. 3-0 Giants.

Goal No.4 Belfast

Steelers have a decent spell of possession in the zone but nothing comes of it, Belfast clear.
Diffley, picking this puck up in own zone, looks back see's Jasper far side whilst both teams are on the change. It is very important here to note where the benches are

If Diffley fires this puck over to Jasper, and he gains the zone, but it gets turned over quick, and the Belfast forwards have just changed, they are going to be on the opposite side of the red zone to the Steelers D men, which, if you can get a pass through them (or, over them), you effectively manufacture a clean break. You'll be surprised to learn that's exactly what happens.

Jasper gains the zone, but is immediately pressured along the board and puck pops loose for the Belfast D man. It's important to note here, its very beneficial that he's right handed. If he decides to pop this puck up back into the neutral zone, it's a much cleaner exit than it would be if he were left handed, as he doesn't have to swap sides, or do it left handed. Also, top of the screen, Steelers D men are changing and appear to be getting back onto the ice in the neutral zone, between the blue line in shot, and the red line. No matter where they get onto the ice, they are the wrong side of the red line to the Belfast players, who are also currently changing, who are getting on between the red line and the opposite blue line. There's a good chance the 2 remaining Belfast forwards have seen the current situation, and are tentatively waiting the opposite side of the red line for a clearance/stretch pass to get straight through the Steelers.

As if by magic, the puck is sent skyward, and the Steelers are caught, on the change, on the wrong side of the red line. Cormier is flying in opposite side, and Huttula is still on the ice having not had chance to change, but from a stand-still off the bench v 2 players who've already built up speed, he stands no chance.

Ritchie maybe could have tried to get back a bit harder here but I don't think it matters, Eriksson even has chance to lose the puck, pick it back up, get it under control and hand it off for the one-timer from Smith.

4-0 Giants.

Giants Goal No. 5

This entire sequence, start to end, is done in about 5 seconds, and it starts behind the Belfast net. Once again, poor defending, poor reads.

Belfast have the puck in their own zone and it's send D to D behind the net, with 2 Steelers in deep. Juusola has recognised the danger already, and begins to turn around, and Harper has locked on to his man for the hit - who he misses

Belfast pick this puck up in the neutral zone and you can probably already see the problem without me having to explain it. Heard comes in for the board battle, puck comes free the forward on the opposite side of the logo comes across and picks it up, whilst the man against the board is free to pick up speed to get into the o zone

Eriksson picks this up, drives wide down the left and Smith immediately sees the amount of space opening up for him. The gap from Huttula above isn't bad, but just like on the Boudrias goal yesterday, he gets caught flat footed and absolutely blown by

Heard I don't think has a clue that Smith is coming in behind, Eriksson rounds his man, picks his head up and fires this backwards, diagonally through the crease to Smith who I don't think could have asked for an easier one

If I'm going to say anything to try and soften the blow about this one, that pass is absolutely perfect. That puck has eyes, and it can see Smith wide open. However. I've no idea Juusola changed when the puck got turned over that quick, and Harper seems like he's lost in the harbour somewhere. Heard doesn't recognise this danger enough to turn around and tie up his man - this isn't sustained pressure so there's no point in trying to set up in your defensive structure - not that being in that structure has helped over the last 2 games anyway. 5-0 Giants.

Steelers goal No. 1 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Wooo! Something that isn't about Belfast! (they do deserve it, though. They're kicking us about)
This is about as Steelers a goal as you like.
Pass up the boards into a zone entry that leads to a scrappy clearance from Belfast

Tansey, out of shot, is backing up into his own zone here, and picks the puck up around the blue line, and skates it back to just past the end of the Belfast bench, before turning around and picking his head up

As he picks his head up, he sees Balmas heading north, just on the blue line and finds his tape, going straight by 3 Belfast players in the neutral zone, with the other 2 Steelers players delaying slightly to stay on side

Balmas gets this under control, takes it forward, delays, and sees Jasper crying out for it on the far side, whilst Ritchie is intentionally keeping his stick up to let Jasper take it

Credit to Belfast, they almost deal with this - but almost doesn't keep it out the net. Jasper collects, gets his head up and fires it in. 5-1.

Just to give props to Ritchie here. He keeps his stick up earlier in this play to give Jasper the chance to grab this, and as he's driving the net, instead of going the way his momentum wants to carry him, he turns and cuts back in near post, giving Jasper full view of the net, and taking a D man with him. Good stuff. Wont show up on the score sheet but definitely helps to have someone that smart and selfless on the team.

Belfast goal No. 6 (nearly)

Okay first, this isn't the 6th goal, but this was an absolutely beautiful bit of play so, whilst I'm waxing lyrical about Belfast, might as well give them this one.

Steelers are cycling low in the zone, doing quite well to keep possession before it comes up to Juusola at the hash marks, who can't quite keep it, and it pops free to a Belfast forward who takes it under control, hands it back to another forward and Belfast settle things down. Harper and Juusola are committed on the forecheck, and Belfast can either try and stretch this to catch Steelers unawares, or make the shorter pass and skate it into the neutral zone.

As can be seen in the lovely drawing above, they opt for the latter, and keep it under control with a shorter pass

Boudrias has a look at this, decides that passing this off far side is probably a bit risky and carries it.

He gains the blue line, pumps the brakes ever so slightly and lets the forward get the opposite side of his marker, before handing him a perfect pass, splitting the D in 2

Tansey is now the wrong side of his man, Dougherty is trapped somewhere in space-time, and by the time this goal goes in, just about everyone looks like this was someone else's fault

To be extra critical here, Tansey didn't need to step up, and Juusola could have put in more effort to try and poke this off of Boudrias, and maybe, maybe, Tremblay could have been the opposite side of his man which stops all of this from happening
None of that though, accounts for the fact that Boudrias plays this absolutely perfect, that puck, again, had eyes, and was going for that tape whether Sheffield wanted it to or not. Plus, that (almost) finish. The only way I can describe the way he steps into that backhand is it's like what Datsyuk used to do (where he'd shift all of his weight to one side, almost making it looked like he was jumping on his opposite skate, then firing it back hand). What an effort. Anyway

Belfast Goal No. 6 (actual)

This starts in Belfast's end, on a decent shift by Sheffield. Juusola has this behind the net, shakes has man, spins and looks up to fire this to someone ready to receive a pass. What I dont know is who he's looking at.

Realisticaly, thats his passing area. From where he is, it's ideally going to a right handed player, who can fire it back across net to get Whistle moving. Problem is, himself, Heard and Harper are all left handed... hmm. And he can't really pass it to Harper here, and unless the Steelers are about to turn into the Globetrotters, there's not much he can do with anyway.

If you can believe it, this puck goes straight by Heard, and makes its way back to a Giants forward. Sheffield aren't in the worst position here. They are 3 F deep, With Heard trapping Juusola on the boards for some reason, but they do have 2 D behind the blue line ready to cover for this

Harper is busting a lung to get back, the Giants player at this point has spun, and is about to hand this off to Kawaguchi, who skates it forward, gains the zone and feathers it behind the net.

Tansey ties his man up on the boards, and stops this puck from getting further behind the net. In an ideal world, what happens here is this:

Tansey keeps his man pinned, and Heard (in this instance, I have him as the C, Harper LW and Juusola RW) comes in to the red zone, to stop this puck getting reversed up the board to Lake. I cannot stress enough, Tansey's body positioning means this puck is not going behind the net. Nobody needs to be on that side.

Kelly doesn't need to be where he is, he needs to be in the yellow zone. He needs to be covering the back post, especially because Harper is moving from the post like it's got bad breath. Harper actually needs to be further near the blue line, behind Lake (blue zone/arrow), and you can't see Juusola here but he needs to be on the opposite side of the net, toward the green arrow, coving the far side D man so he either can't pinch and lose coverage, or so he's available as an outlet pass.
Heard needs to be in the red zone, on the left side of Tansey, cutting off Lake, and giving an additional layer of protection for the pass that is either going to Lake or back to the blue line.

The Belfast man who was previously pinned by Tansey shakes him off like a cheap jacket, turns around and looks like he's going to give this to Lake, because there's no one covering him. Instead he fires this to the blue line, because the winger isn't doing his job and covering the boards further up and McFadden is in an acre of space

He hands this off to Bast, who does have a bit of trouble getting a grip of it initially, but picks it up and goes about 2 feet down the wall and realises hes got 3 options

1) Back to McFadden, who seems to have bought more than an acreage. This doesn't do much though apart from sustain pressure and allow Steelers to get a bit more settled in their defensive structure though, so unless you've no other option, he probably wont use this
2) Down the ice toward the back of the net to get the forward who's shook pressure, can skate back in front of the net, at which point, Long, who's far side, will jump, and probably gives them a good effort at getting a one timer.
3) Force a pass beyond Heard, to Long, who's got as much room as McFadden, for a one-timer which he surely scores from
If you said he goes for option 3, you'd be right! Luckily, Long was not set to hit this first time, and has to take it on his backhand. Phew!

Panic over! Yeah not really. Long spins, sees a streaking McFadden coming downhill, who can hit this first time

Greenfield can see this for miles, but by the time the shot gets to him, this situation changes quite a lot
Greenfield tracks this well, but it either hits Lake and pops up, or because he's being crashed by his own D man, he hot potatoes it, and Jordan "Babe Ruth" Kawaguchi comes in, and just taps it out of the air. 6-1.

Goal No. 7 Giants

Siiiiigh. At least this is the last goal. Here's the setup:

Giants get the puck in deep and try and establish the forecheck, Huttula tickles it down the boards, Kelly gets it properly and winds it round the boards up to the neutral zone

Jasper manages to just about collect it, and hands it off for Ritchie, who's carrying much speed than him

Ritchie has a bit of bother getting this puck to sit, and whilst hes doing it, it hits the skate of a Belfast player, and comes the other way

The Belfast puck magnets were on full tilt, and the Belfast forward who's currently in line with ref gets this on the turn, keeping all of his speed and absolutely blasts through the steelers split D men

Forehand backhand, 7-1 good night thanks for coming (again)

This is where I'm ending this one. In the last one I went on a bit of a tangent at the end but I've legitimately exhausted everything I can say here (and you'd hope so with 4k word count to be honest)
Awful game. Credit to Belfast, they smelled the blood and they kept coming back for it. If they don't win the title (again), Danny Stewart must be practising black magic and gets Fossier back on the ice somehow.