Momentum drive sees Sheffield Steelers set on delaying rivals' title plans

ROBERT DOWD heads to Northern Ireland today as the Elite League's player of the week - an award fully deserved according to his coach Paul Thompson.
'HE'S ON FIRE': Robert Dowd celebrates scoring a goal in the 3-2 Challenge Cup Final defeat to Cardiff Devils. Picture: Dean Woolley.'HE'S ON FIRE': Robert Dowd celebrates scoring a goal in the 3-2 Challenge Cup Final defeat to Cardiff Devils. Picture: Dean Woolley.
'HE'S ON FIRE': Robert Dowd celebrates scoring a goal in the 3-2 Challenge Cup Final defeat to Cardiff Devils. Picture: Dean Woolley.

The 28-year-old was on fire last weekend, accumulating four goals across two nights and six points in total as Sheffield Steelers ended a three-game losing streak with wins over Braehead Clan and, more satisfyingly, Cardiff Devils, who had beaten them in the previous weekend’s Challenge Cup Final.

Dowd’s exploits took his tally for the season to 21 goals and 42 points in all from 47 games for the Steelers, who can go into this weekend looking to have a big say in where their regular season crown lands.

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After seeing Dowd lead his team in scoring last weekend, Steelers’ head coach Thompson said it was great to see the British winger’s line with Levi Nelson and Andreas Valdix reunited and seemingly firing on all cylinders again - something denied them through two injury-enforced absences for the gifted Swedish centre.

“Dowdy and Levi went through that stretch where they lost their centreman and them three do have some special chemistry - but although their workrate never stopped they started doubting themselves because they went 12, or 13 games without goals,” said Thompson.,

“And I think the thing (with those guys) is that you just have to get back to basics and start getting the puck to the net and get that confidence back and then you start scoring again - and Dowdy is on fire again, as it that whole line.”

Thompson will be hoping for more of the same from Dowd and his team-mates at Belfast Giants’ SSE Arena on Friday night as the Steelers look to at least finish as runners-up to champions-elect Cardiff, who visit Sheffield Arena on Saturday.

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A win on Friday would take the Steelers to within a point of Belfast with three games to play, while it would also leave Cardiff needing just one win from their final four games to seal a first-ever EIHL regular season title and retain hopes of landing the treble.

Sheffield Steelers' head coach, Paul Thompson. Picture: Dean Woolley.Sheffield Steelers' head coach, Paul Thompson. Picture: Dean Woolley.
Sheffield Steelers' head coach, Paul Thompson. Picture: Dean Woolley.

The Giants head to South Wales for a final weekend double-header but the much hoped-for grand finale could fail to materialise if the Steelers throw a spanner in the works on Friday.

Thompson, however, will care little for who inherits his team’s crown, his main concern being to secure the highest finish possible and, with it, a more favourable - in theory - seeding for the play-offs.

But rest assured, if Cardiff head to South Yorkshire on Saturday knowing a win will secure the title, Thompson and his players will be determined to not let that happen in their own building, given the intense rivalry and, at times, bitterness that has developed between the two teams this past couple of seasons.

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After last week’s 6-2 win over the Devils in Sheffield, Thompson - who is sweating over the fitness of Yared Hagos and Colton Fretter - said: “Cardiff could have won the title here but we didn’t want that happening - we didn’t want them celebrating in our building.”

It’s safe to say, the same terms and conditions will apply this weekend.