Finnerty fine with selection poser brought about by Trudel’s arrival

The 28-year-old Canadian - who has spent the last three seasons in Norway and Italy - replaces veteran Rod Sarich, who is out long-term after sustaining a freak injury to his kidney.

Trudel’s arrival – expected in time for this Friday’s home clash with Elite League leaders Belfast Giants – leaves Finnerty with 11 imports, one more than allowed to ice at any one time.

Finnerty, whose team closed the gap on second-placed Nottingham Panthers to three points following weekend wins over Cardiff Devils and Hull Stingrays, said his imports were well aware of the pressure now on them.

“This signing will give me a headache as I will now have 11 imports when we are fit and well,” said Finnerty. “That means one import will sit out every night.

“That is going to be a test for both me and the players who now know they must play hard for their spots on the team.”

Steelers were given an early scare in Hull on Sunday night – despite the hosts arriving later than scheduled to the rink due to delays on their return from the previous night’s 5-1 defeat at Belfast.

Jereme Tendler put the home side ahead after only 20 seconds before Steelers’ Luke Fulghum struck his first goal for his new club in the sixth minute to level.

Finnerty scored midway through the second to edge the visitors ahead, but a 56th-minute strike by Jason Silverthorn took the game into overtime, where Mike Ramsay secured the extra point for the Steelers only 24 seconds in.

“That was a close one,” said Finnerty afterwards. “You have to credit Hull, they played a tough game and just wouldn’t let it go.

“I felt we played very well and perhaps created enough chances to have won the game earlier.”

On Saturday, Sheffield were given a stern test by Cardiff at the Motorpoint Arena on a night which saw Fulghum struggle to make much of an impact on his debut for the defending champions, But the home side enjoyed a first-period lead thanks to Steve Birnstill’s well-worked 17th-minute opener.

Cardiff had enjoyed the better possession and chances in the first period, but the Steelers came into the game more in the second and found themselves 3-0 ahead just after the midway point through two goals in the space of a minute from the influential Jeff Legue and defenceman Matt Stephenson.

Cardiff hit back almost immediately at 33,32 through Scott Matzka and made it a one-goal game in the 39th minute thanks to Kenton Smith.

But, despite Cardiff piling on more pressure in the third and again creating more than twice as many chances as the Steelers, a swift short-handed breakaway in the 54th minute saw Ramsay feed a speeding Legue, who capped an impressive man-of-the-match performance by firing past Stevie Lyle for his second of the night to make the points safe.

Much like against the Steelers on Sunday night, Hull began their trip to Belfast positively, taking an eighth-minute lead on the powerplay through player-coach Sylvain Cloutier.

Brock McBride drew the home side level within two minutes, but it wasn’t until the midway point that the home side got themselves in front, Jeremy Rebek firing home on the powerplay.

Another powerplay goal, this time from Aaron Clarke in the 45th minute, was harsh on the Stingrays and a niggly contest was settled when McBride and then Gareth Roberts rounded off the scoring.

“It was a good game and a lot closer than the scoreline suggests,” said Cloutier afterwards.

RESULTS - Sunday, Elite League: Cardiff Devils 2 Belfast Giants 4, Edinburgh Capitals 2 Coventry Blaze 3 (PS), Hull Stingrays 2 Sheffield Steelers 3 (OT), Nottingham Panthers 5 Dundee Stars 4.

Elite League/Challenge Cup Group A: Fife Flyers 5 Braehead Clan 4.

Saturday, Elite League: Belfast Giants 5 Hull Stingrays 1, Braehead Clan 2 Edinburgh Capitals 0, Coventry Blaze 7 Dundee Stars 2, Sheffield Steelers 4 Cardiff Devils 2.

IN the English Premier League, Sheffield Steeldogs drew their first blank weekend of the season after losing out twice to title contenders Slough Jets.

A 5-3 defeat in Berkshire on Saturday night was followed by a 1-0 reverse for Andre Payette’s side at Ice Sheffield on Sunday.

The result leaves the Steeldogs in fourth place, now six points adrift of Doug Sheppard’s side, who are level on points with current leaders Guildford Flames, who enjoyed wins over Swindon and Bracknell.

RESULTS - Sunday: Guildford Flames 5 Bracknell Bees 0, Peterborough Phantoms 1 Wildcats 8, Telford Tigers 1 Milton Keynes Lightning 4, Sheffield Steeldogs 0 Slough Jets 1, Manchester Phoenix 3 Basingstoke Bison 4.

Saturday: Milton Keynes Lightning 3 Peterborough Phantoms 2 (PS), Basingstoke Bison 5 Telford Tigers 6 (PS), Slough Jets 5 Sheffield Steeldogs 3, Bracknell Bees 2 Manchester Phoenix 6, Swindon Wildcats 3 Guildford Flames 5.

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