Ice Hockey: Steelers hit bottom after away slump

Sheffield Steelers, the Superleague champions, slumped to the bottom of the table after a 2-1 defeat by their bitter rivals Nottingham Panthers at the National Ice Centre on Sunday night.

The defeat was their ninth in 10 road games as their away-day troubles continued. They last won on their travels at Nottingham on 3 October.

Steve Moria and Claude Savoie put Nottingham, who stay third, 2-0 up. Jeff Sebastian's goal proved to be only a consolation.

Manchester Storm climbed off the bottom after ending Belfast Giants' seven-match winning run with a creditable 2-2 draw at the MEN Arena.

Resurgent Storm, now unbeaten in five games, were in fact four minutes away from emerging victorious in a game between top and bottom.

Storm had seen their feisty forward Paul Ferone ejected following a bout of fisticuffs before going one down to Rob Stewart.

Trevor Gallant levelled and Rob Wilson put Storm ahead, but Kevin Riehl, the Superleague's top points-scorer, earned Giants a point.