Sheffield Steelers v Cardiff Devils - Swift rematch offers Steelers final revenge

NOTHING would give Jonathan Phillips more pleasure than lifting the Challenge Cup trophy for the Sheffield Steelers tomorrow night – particularly in his hometown of Cardiff.
Sheffield Steelers' captain, Jonathan Phillips. Picture Dean WoolleySheffield Steelers' captain, Jonathan Phillips. Picture Dean Woolley
Sheffield Steelers' captain, Jonathan Phillips. Picture Dean Woolley

But the Steelers’ captain is determined not to place too much emphasis on the game, insisting it is no more important than any other in the club’s 2019-20 campaign.

That of course, is true, particularly while they remain in a battle for the Elite League regular season championship with tomorrow’s opponents Cardiff Devils, although that suffered a knock with a 7-3 defeat in Cardiff last night.

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But the failure of Steelers to land the trophy during the Elite League era – having come off second-best a remarkable six times – isn’t lost on anybody at the club.

Aaron Fox, behind the Steelers' bench in Cardiff on Friday night. Picture: Dave Williams/EIHL.Aaron Fox, behind the Steelers' bench in Cardiff on Friday night. Picture: Dave Williams/EIHL.
Aaron Fox, behind the Steelers' bench in Cardiff on Friday night. Picture: Dave Williams/EIHL.

“Both trophies are important, and the Challenge Cup is the first trophy up for grabs and because we’ve never won it it is important for the club to win it,” said Phillips, who has been in five of the six finals with the Steelers, but lifted the trophy with Cardiff the season before he moved to South Yorkshire

“Not only that, whenever there is a trophy on the line you want to be making sure that you’re the team lifting it.

“It is important but I don’t think it is any more important than any other game (we’ve got left). Obviously it’s not something that we’ve won here in the Elite League era but, as I’ve said, whenever there is a trophy on the line – not matter which trophy it is – you want to be in with a shout.”

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The Steelers’ two most recent appearances in the final have seen them lose out to the Devils, once on home ice in Sheffield in 2015 and again in Cardiff two years later.

Blair Riley scores his first of the night against Sheffield Steelers at the Viola Arena on Friday. Picture: Dave Williams/EIHL.Blair Riley scores his first of the night against Sheffield Steelers at the Viola Arena on Friday. Picture: Dave Williams/EIHL.
Blair Riley scores his first of the night against Sheffield Steelers at the Viola Arena on Friday. Picture: Dave Williams/EIHL.

And while the competition may come last in the priorities of the EIHL’s top teams, at the start of any season, Steelers’ head coach Aaron Fox is not fussy when it comes to winning.

“It’s probably a harder format to win than the playoffs,” said Fox. “For me a trophy is a trophy. I know the team hasn’t won this one in the Elite League era, so it would be great for the fans, the organisation and for me myself to be here in our first year and have an opportunity to win it.”