Cardiff Devils 4 Sheffield Steelers 5: Tyler Mosienko and Conny Stromberg double up to help Jason Hewitt celebrate landmark night in style

The British forward has broken a number of records this season due to his longevity in the UK game, but to mark his latest milestone – the first player to make so many appearances in the league – he could have wished for nothing better than victory at title rivals Cardiff Devils.

The Steelers had entered the ‘Big Blue Tent’ in Cardiff Bay for the last time knowing defeat would leave their hopes of retaining the regular season title hanging by a thread.

Prior to the weekend double-header against leaders Cardiff, all eight matches between the two sides had ended in favour of the home side.

The Devils upset that statistic on Saturday night when they deservedly beat the Steelers 4-3 at Sheffield Arena.

But Thompson’s players battled hard to end their barren run in South Wales for 2015-16 with a wonderful 5-4 triumph.

With just seven games remaining, it leaves them two points adrift of Cardiff, who have a game in hand which they play this Thursday in Fife.

Afterwards, Thompson hailed an “outstanding” performance from his players, insisting his team were very much still in the title race.

“If Cardiff think we’re going to go away they are wrong – we’re not going anywhere,” said Thompson. “We put in an outstanding performance (last night). That was as good as anything you will see. These are two great teams and you have to applaud the job Andrew Lord has done here.

“They are a committed team all over the ice, but so are we and that is the reason why we are first and second in the league.”

Leigh Salters put the hosts into the lead early on before replies from Tyler Mosienko and Conny Stromberg before the end of the first.

Zach Hervato levelled with the only goal of the second period at 24.36, but the Steelers were ahead again 36 seconds into the third through Swede Stromberg.

Four more goals followed in a frenetic six-minute spell, Josh Batch levelling before Mathieu Roy restored the visitors’ lead. Tomas Kurka equalised at 45.07 but there was no way back after Mosienko grabbed his second of the night and fifth of the weekend to seal the victory.

Despite his Saturday night hat-trick, Mosienko ended up on the losing side in South Yorkshire after Kurka, Andrew Lord, Joey Martin and Ryan Russell were on target for the Devils.