Sheffield Steelers bounce back with convincing win at Dundee Stars as Elite League leaders stutter

The reigning Elite League champions headed north on Sunday morning with their coach’s criticisms ringing in their ears after what he labelled an “embarrassing” 6-0 defeat at home to Coventry Blaze the previous night.

But a 10-4 win at Dundee Stars - still scrambling to make the post-season - coupled with a 3-2 overtime loss for Elite League leaders Belfast Giants at home to Glasgow Clan kept their regular season title hopes alive. Just about.

With 10 games remaining, second-placed Steelers are four points off Belfast having played a game more.

As was the case going into the weekend, Fox and his players need favours from elsewhere to stand any chance of catching Belfast – coupled with the need to play more or less perfect hockey themselves over the course of the next four weeks.

To muddy the equation, Nottingham Panthers are just a point adrift of the Steelers with a game in hand, one they play on Wednesday before the two rivals meet at the National Ice Centre on Saturday night.

The Steelers - having snapped a three-game losing streak - can look forward to a relatively ‘normal’ week having no midweek game for the first time since early February.

“It was good for us to have a night like that,” said Fox after his team’s convincing victory in Tayside.

“I liked our effort and compete from puck drop and I felt like we dominated play all night long and got rewarded on the scoresheet.

“We needed a bounce back, it hasn’t been a great week for us so it was important that we found a way tonight.”

The Steelers were 4-2 ahead after the first period, Mark Simpson’s opener after just 28 seconds cancelled out by Spencer Naas before goals from Marc-Olivier Vallerand, Mikko Juusola and Colton Saucerman were responded to by a Brendan Harms strike for the Stars at 19.08.

The Steelers edged the next period when goals from Brien Diffley and Brandon Whistle came either side of a 31st-minute strike from Dundee’s Keanu Yamamoto which ensured there was plenty to play for come the final 20 minutes.

But the Steelers ensured there would only be one winner when Simpson doubled his tally at 44.50, with Juusola completing his hat-trick with two more - the last a penalty shot - to make it 9-4 with just under seven minutes remaining.

Zachary Tsekos grabbed a late consolation on the power play at 55.49 but the Steelers had the final word less than two minutes later when Sam Tremblay tipped home from a pinpoint pass from Finley Ulrick.