Following a four-point weekend for the Sheffield Steelers Head Coach Aaron Fox spoke on the importance of the two wins.
In an interview on BBC Radio Sheffield’s Sports Academy Fox said: “It was needed, we’ve been a little off form here the last month it was nice to get a couple guys back into our line-up, so we’re pretty much fully healthy this weekend, that 6-2 game down in Cardiff was a big one for us, it felt like we had our mojo back and then we greased out a 2-1 win on Sunday night which we needed.”
Aaron Fox: “We control our own destiny.”
It was two huge games for the Steelers who after months of domination recently relinquished their top spot to Belfast Giants.
Following this weekend’s action they are right back in the race for the title though.
Their first opponents; the Cardiff Devils are now out of the hunt for the Elite League after their loss on Saturday evening.
Related: Cardiff Devils eliminated for Elite League’s Title Race: EIHL Takeaways
Fox spoke about the quick turnaround his team faced between the clash in Cardiff and facing the Manchester Storm the next day, saying: “We had enough in the tank to get it done.”
The Storm game was of equal importance to create a big enough gap between Fox’s side and Cardiff, the Head Coach said of this: “I mean we needed to claw back, we needed to stay in this race, eight games to play here and we get Belfast three out of the last four.
“So, we just got to make sure we control our own destiny and don’t need help from the outside, as long as we take care of our own business here, we have a good chance at this.”
With points at a premium now it’s of paramount importance that neither side drops games in the final run in.
Sheffield has the advantage in that two of those three potentially decisive games against Belfast are on home ice.
Steel vs Storm
The Steelers will also face Manchester three more times in their last eight games, Fox spoke about this, saying: “They’re probably in the best form they’ve been in all year right now, if you look at their last five, last 10, that building has never been an easy place to go and play, a lot can change the game there.
“Everything happens fast so you’ve got to move your feet and be prepared for a tough 60, we’ve had some success there this year, I think we struggled there last year a bit.
“I think we’ve found our way a little bit in that rink this year, but I know for sure that we’ve got to be mentally focused.”
Manchester currently sit four points out of play-offs with seven games to play so won’t be pushovers.
Fox is prepared for this, saying: “It won’t be an easy hockey game, that’s for sure.”
The first of their three games against the Storm takes place tonight (30th March) with face-off at 19:30pm in Manchester.
If Sheffield want to keep their title hopes alive they need two more points there, which would keep them right on Belfast’s tail.
With two games in hand over the Giants and a four point gap they need wins to close-up the title race.
