Cardiff Devils v Sheffield Steelers - Aaron Fox targets final-day decider

Tonight sees the first of two pivotal matches between the long-time rivals in just three days.

The second sees them go head-to-head in the Challenge Cup Final on Sunday, the Steelers targeting revenge after being denied twice in recent years by the Devils at the same stage.

But, more importantly, the two lock horns at the Viola Arena this evening, the first of six regular season league matches remaining for the Steelers, who sit top of the standings, one point ahead of a Devils side who have three games in hand.

The two face-off against each other one last time on the final day of the regular season – Sunday, March 29 – but in order for that game to have any significance, a win is a must for the Steelers tonight.

A 4-3 loss back in September was bettered by the Steelers when they returned to South Wales in January and headed home on the back of a 5-4 victory. Fox felt his team also deserved something from the previous visit.

“Both times we’ve played them down there, I felt we outplayed them,” said Fox. “That first game we took an abuse of official penalty in the second that they went and scored on and which ended up being the game winner, but I thought we pushed the pace in that game.

“Apart from a game at home which was a blowout from us (the Steelers lost 7-3 at the FlyDSA Arena in November) they have all been pretty competitive hockey games.”

Fox insists he will not turn his and his team’s attention to challenging for the season’s first piece of silverware on Sunday until after tonight’s tussle, which he admits is a must-win.

“If we lose, that means we would need a lot of help down the stretch. I’m not saying it is not feasible – Cardiff have to play Coventry, Guildford, Belfast, Nottingham, which is a tough run-in for sure – but we need them to lose three of those games and then we’d have to win out to have a chance for that last game. So this a huge game for us.

“If we win Friday that last game at home to Cardiff could (see the title) come down to that. And that would be fun for everyone involved.”