While an 11-point buffer seems reasonably comprehensive, the difference between the sides really only came down to timing.
The Pulse made the majority of its mistakes once it had built a healthy buffer, whereas the Steel made critical errors in the opening half and again towards the end when it was threatening to get back into the game.
Janine Southby described those moments as ''coach-killers''.
''Certainly, there is concern around when our errors are happening,'' she said.
''I've done a little graph ... and it is saying that we tend to have a cluster of mistakes. We made them at the start of the game ... and then again the end of that quarter.
''And the graph really shot up at the end of the game. We did all that good work to pull it back and had real pressure on them ... but then we eased off.''
Four minutes into the third period the Steel trailed 40-28, but the Pulse took its turn to make a series of blunders.
The Steel pruned the margin to 50-54 with about nine minutes remaining. A remarkable recovery, though, slipped away with two or three sloppy passes and a stepping call.
But perhaps the turning point came much earlier in the game.
The Steel trailed 16-14 with a minute left in the first quarter. Captain Jodi Brown had the ball on the edge of the circle and passed across court with a little too much weight. The intended target was unable to haul it in and it bounced out.
The Pulse converted the turnover and, from its centre pass, scored another in the dying seconds.
It had first use of the ball in the second quarter and stretched the lead to 19-14. The two-goal deficit was suddenly a five goal buffer and the poor old Steel had made just one bad pass.
Silver Ferns and Pulse defender Katrina Grant then added to the Steel's misery when she tipped away a pass meant for the 1.98m Jhaniele Fowler-Reid. It had taken just two minutes of court time for the game to slip away from the Steel.
Given most of the errors occurred towards the end of the match or during the final stages of a quarter, it is inevitable questions will be asked about the side's fitness levels.
''Our fitness tests have been better than last year's. We've got another one [fitness test] on Tuesday and we'll be looking at that with real interest. But I don't think it is as simple as saying it is fitness. I think a little bit can be mental fitness and that ability to concentrate for that period of time.
''The positive thing is the girls have recognised the errors made in the first week and they have improved, but we need to lift again.
''But, to be fair to the Pulse, they played reasonably error-free and the shooters shot very accurately.''
The Pulse drilled 67 of its 70 attempts, with Silver Ferns shooter Irene van Dyk landing 39 from 41 and Donna Wilkins 28 from 29.
Wilkins also provided 11 assists and had a tremendous match. The wily veteran caused some defensive headaches for the Steel.
Storm Purvis came on at halftime to help shut down Wilkins' space. Goal defence Phoenix Karaka made way for Purvis but was perhaps unlucky. She had a strong game with one intercept and five deflections.
Fellow defender Erena Mikaere made her debut for the Steel. The 1.93m defender came on at the start of the fourth quarter and made a sensational block on van Dyk.
''I was pleased for her,'' Southby said.
''She brought a real intensity and energy out there and I think that resulted in some great turnovers.''
Generally, though, Southby was disappointed with the amount of defensive pressure the Steel was able to assert throughout court.
The attack end functioned better and there were signs the Steel can still score goals rapidly. Its next assignment is against the Magic in Hamilton next Monday.
In other matches, the Vixens beat the Fever 65-56 in Perth, the Firebirds lost 55-48 to the Thunderbirds at home in Brisbane and the Tactix lost to the Swifts 57-68 in Christchurch.
ANZ Championship
The scores
Pulse 67
Irene van Dyk 39 from 41, Donna Wilkins 28/29
Steel 56
Jhaniele Fowler-Reid 42/45, Jodi Brown 14/18
Quarter scores: 1st 18-14, 2nd 34-26, 3rd 50-41
