Play off bound Steelers on the rampage: Sheffield 5-1 Milton Keynes Lightning (final score)

Eric Neiley takes on MKL. Pic by Hayley Roberts

Sheffield are through to the end of season tournament after winning 5-1 - and Manchester Storm lost at Cardiff Devils

Opponents at the House of Steel, Milton Keynes Lightning, who had beaten Guildford Flames 4-3 on Friday night, had just three lines and four defencemen on show.

And Lightning were overwhelmed in a 4-0 first session, the haul including a first-goal-of-the-season for Brandon Whistle.

Ex Steeler Andreas Valdix, said to have the worst plus-minus in the league courtesy of his hours of ice time with division's weakest team, was on the third line for the visitors.

While Steelers played winger Jordan Owens as a defenceman in a game completely dominated by the home team.

Sheffield bombarded MKL from the start, and nobody was a bigger threat than Robert Dowd.

He is never a player to give up on the puck when it is out of his possession.

And when Trevor Morbeck gifted him the puck, the gratefully tucked it home.

A superbly-placed wrist shot from Josh McFadden made it two before Dowd nabbed his second of the night.

But the Arena crowd were at their loudest when Whistle scored his first goal for the club, tucking in a Jonas Westerling rebound.

Goal for Steelers v MKL. Pic by Dean Woolley

Kieran Brown almost opened the second period scoring, but blasted wide.

However, visiting goalie Patrick Killeen was left raising his eyes to the rafters after Jonathan Phillips roofed the puck past him after another period of possession in his zone.

Killeen's post saved him in the 37th minute, Anthony DeLuca the unlucky shooter.

The visiting fans were certainly not subdued by the scoreline and they deserved to celebrate when Georgs Golovkovs beat Jackson Whistle, a goal assisted by Trevor Morbeck and workaholicTim Wallace at 44:35.

And the goal galvanised Lightning, who were proudly playing out their last game at Sheffield before dropping out the EIHL.

John Armstrong almost added a sixth, but MKL deserved to win the period, at least.

It had a penalty-free night..and a harder task awaits Sheffield at Belfast Giants tomorrow.