Clark first to be odd man out for Steelers

FORWARD Neil Clark will be the unlucky import to sit out for Sheffield Steelers in their top-of-the-table clash with Belfast Giants at the Motorpoint Arena on Friday night (7.30pm).

The Canadian winger makes way for defenceman Francis Trudel, whose arrival takes Steelers’ import numbers to 11, one more than is allowed under Elite League rules to ice at any one time.

Clark is the team’s second-highest goalscorer this season with 11 goals in 21 games, but has found points hard to come by in recent weeks. He finished as second-highest scorer last season - again behind Jeff Legue - posting 37 goals in a total 69-point tally.

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Finnerty admitted it was not an easy decision to make, but was quick to point out that given the Steelers schedule of three games in three days, Clark was likely to see some action during the weekend.

“It’s just how we’ve gone this time,” said player-coach Ryan Finnerty. “But he could easily find himself back in the line-up at some point during the weekend.

“It’s different back home when you’ve 23 or 24 players - guys are used to seeing three or four others on the sidelines. But here, when you’ve only got small rosters, it’s not easy.

“Things change so quickly over here though, with injuries and the like that Neil could be back in the line up for one of the other matches.”

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That owner Tony Smith has financed rookie coach Finnerty with an extra import, seemingly for the remainder of the season, is a statement of intent by the club of how desperate they are to retain the regular season championship won under Ben Simon last season.

The one team most likely to stop them - given their form in the first third of the season - are current league leaders Belfast Giants, who sit eight points ahead of the Steelers. But, crucially, Finnerty’s team - partly due to their recent Continental Cup adventure - have six games in hand on Doug Christiansen’s side.

The only previous meeting between the two heavyweights came on the opening weekend when Steelers came away with the extra point following a 2-1 success after a shoot-out at the Odyssey Arena.

Clearly Friday night’s meeting won’t decide the destination of the title, coming so early in the season, but the Steelers are going to have to prove they can hold their own against the visitors if they want to last the pace with Belfast into the middle of March.

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The Giants were dealt a significant blow two weeks ago when they discovered they would have to do without the services of influential forward Benoit Doucet with a knee injury.

But, given Belfast decided to go with a spare import from the very beginning of the season, they have shown they possess enough strength in depth to make sure they come into Friday night’s televised game in Sheffield on the back of a six-game winning streak.

“Losing somebody like Doucet is going to hurt, but Belfast are still a good side and have got quality all over the ice and plenty of depth,” added Finnerty.

“Not many people expected us to come away with two points when we went there at the start of the season and they’ll be looking to get that point back.

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“It looks like Dowdy (former Steelers forward Robert Dowd) might also be out with an injury but there still aren’t many weaknesses there.”

Steelers follow-up Friday’s top-end battle with a Challenge Cup trip to Coventry Blaze on Saturday before returning home to welcome Braehead Clan to the Motorpoint Arena (5pm face-off).

The reasons behind Luke Fulghum’s surprise switch to the Steelers from the Blaze became much clearer earlier this week when the Coventry ownership revealed it was in need of immediate help financially to help see it through the next month.

The response from hockey fans and former players alike has been impressive and Finnerty - the subject of a proposed move to Coventry at the end of last season before he was offered the Steelers post - is confident the struggling club will get through its current troubles.

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“I think it took a lot of people by surprise,” said Finnerty, whose team need a win at the Skydome Arena to strengthen their chances of qualification to the semi-finals.

“It’s bad for them and you hope they can turn things around - I really believe they will turn things around. They have been such a quality club over the years and the sport in this country needs them.

“Regardless of what state the club are in off the ice at the moment, though, Thommo will have them fired up - they aren’t going to lie down for us.

“Things like this can sometimes bring players together more and they will be desperate to put one over on us.”