HAVING experienced the highs and the lows of the Final Four Weekend in the last two years, Slava Koulikov is perhaps one of those best placed to explain what it takes to be successful in Coventry.

In 2024, he nursed a depleted Peterborough Phantoms team to play-off success when they edged out defending champions Leeds Knights 4-3 after a shoot-out.

Just under 12 months later, he again guided his team to the final game of the season, only to come up against a stacked Milton Keynes Lightning outfit hell-bent on lifting the final piece of NIHL National silverware for the 2025-26 season, running out convincing 6-1 winners.

Koulikov finds himself in Coventry again a further 12 months on but in very different circumstances, now head coach of Sheffield Steeldogs.

Facing off against Leeds Knights, the Yorkshire derby gets the ball rolling at the SkyDome Arena as the first semi-final.

Success will mean a final showdown on Sunday against either Swindon Wildcats or Hull Seahawks.

But Koulikov, who made the switch to South Yorkshire last summer after 11-and-a-half years in Peterborough, has learned from his recent experiences of competing in NIHL National’s season-closing showpiece that you can take nothing for granted.

Because of injuries and unavailability due to four players being away with GB Under-18s at the Division 2A World Championships, the Knights will once again be down to the bare bones in terms of numbers.

DOUBLE TOP: Sheffield Steeldogs are looking to add the NIHL National crown to the National Cup they won back in March. Picture: Cerys Heslop/Steeldogs Media.

placeholder image — DOUBLE TOP: Sheffield Steeldogs are looking to add the NIHL National crown to the National Cup they won back in March. Picture: Cerys Heslop/Steeldogs Media.

It was the same last week when they headed to Milton Keynes with just seven forwards and five defencemen, only to pull off one of the biggest wins of the season when they clinched their spot in Coventry with a stunning 6-5 win.

Because of that and because Koulikov knows first-hand how tough an opponent rival coach Ryan Aldridge has proved over recent years, his team are fully aware of what to expect.

This is, after all, two teams that took the two-legged National Cup final all the way down to the last few seconds of overtime before Steeldogs’ Bair Gendunov provided the winning strike.

“Nothing changes from Leeds,” said Koulikov. “I know Ryan well, I know Leeds' organisation well and they always leave everything out there on the ice.

FAMILIAR FACE: Sheffield Steeldogs' head coach Slava Koulikov has both won and lost in the play-off final at the NIHL National Final Four Weekend in Coventry. Picture: Steeldogs Media.

“They're going to work really hard, they obviously have some talented players and, for me, the best goaltending in the league.

“So, again, nothing changes from every battle we have had with them this year, starting from pre-season, throughout the regular season and, of course, the cup final.”

Preparation, as ever, is key for Koulikov, regarded by many as one of the most meticulous coaches around.

His roster may possess some of the most experienced players in the league in the shape of Jonathan Phiullips, David Phillips, Ben Morgan and Tim Smith, but the Coventry finale remains a unique moment in the hockey calendar, unlike any other weekend.

“When it comes to players and especially this weekend, it’s almost a celebration in the right way for what you’ve already achieved during the season,” added Koulikov.

“And I’m really proud of my team for making it to the final four but there are still two more games to play.

“It doesn’t matter whether it is a cup, a final or a play-off semi-final, you just have to be at your best and be the best version of yourself.

“But you just need to keep the nerves down because it is a different arena, a sold-out arena. All the fans are there together and sometimes when you arrive it can hit you and so the most important thing is to treat everything like a normal game, have normal preparation and keep exactly the same mindset as you would for any other game.

“There are so many, many details you want to cover as a coach. I always tell the players when they see people start coming in, they want to take those positive vibes in the right way - but when they hit the ice, when it comes to warm-up, they focus on one thing.

“What they do best is play hockey. It's important to be calm but at the same time ready to battle.”

“You try to give as much information as possible, but at the same time not to overload. At the end of the day, hockey is simple, it just needs to be played the right way.”