SHEFFIELD STEELDOGS may have swept Basingstoke Bison aside on home ice last time out - but head coach Slava Koulikov knows Saturday’s immediate rematch will be a different proposition.

A 7-1 win at Ice Sheffield over their Hampshire rivals was no more than deserved for the Steeldogs, keeping them in second place in the NIHL National regular season standings, one point better off than third-placed Leeds and just two off leaders Swindon Wildcats - both of who have two games in hand.

The win over Basingstoke also confirmed the Steeldogs’ status as No 1 seeds in the NIHL National Cup, a ranking which allowed them to pick their opponent in the semi-finals.

On Wednesday, they duly picked Peterborough Phantoms, Koulikov’s former team who he led to a National Cup triumph in 2023, a year on from when the Steeldogs won it under then head coach, Greg Wood.

The two-legged tie will be scheduled for sometime before January 31 but, for now, Koulikov is only concerned with Saturday’s trip to Basingstoke as well as Sunday’s visit from Milton Keynes Lightning.

The Bison may have found life tough on their return to the UK’s second tier after two seasons away but they have picked up some notable scalps in recent weeks, not least on November 15 on home ice, when they shutout the Steeldogs in a 1-0 win which ended the visitors’ eight-game winning run.

That was part of a six-game winning run for Basingstoke, one which also included notable wins over Leeds, Peterborough and Milton Keynes, a pocket of form which leaves Koulikov aware of the threats they pose.

“They had been on a very good run just ahead of last weekend, where they played three in three,” said Koulikov.

DOUBLE DATE: Sheffield Steeldogs visit Basingstoke Bison on Satuirday before hosting Milton Keynes Lightning (4pm) on Sunday. Picture: Steeldogs Media.

placeholder image — DOUBLE DATE: Sheffield Steeldogs visit Basingstoke Bison on Satuirday before hosting Milton Keynes Lightning (4pm) on Sunday. Picture: Steeldogs Media.

“They are a hard-working team, the coach does a really good job, everybody buys in and everybody works really hard. They have good imports and a good import goaltender.

“They are not a high-scoring team but they know how to manage those low-scoring games and it is going to be another tough test for us.”

All three prior meetings between the Steeldogs and Milton Keynes have ended up going to overtime or a shootout. On each occasion, the Steeldogs have prevailed against a Lightning team which has been fighting injuries of late and who, at fifth in the standings, are running below most people's pre-season expectations of them.

“Sometimes you have runs in season that don’t go your way,” added Koulikov. “But there is no doubt they are a top four team in this league.

“Each time this season it has been a good, close game against them and that shows by every game going past 60 minutes. Fortunately, it has been us that have won each time.”