Sheffield Steelers coach Aaron Fox hails 'heart' of players on perfect EIHL weekend

The Steelers gained swift revenge for a Challenge Cup defeat to Nottingham Panthers the previous weekend on home ice before making the relatively short trip to Coventry Blaze last night to make it four straight regular season wins in the Elite League.

Fox talked before the season commenced about how a good start would prove crucial to his team’s hopes of securing the ultimate prize of a regular season Elite League championship.

And, aside from an opening night reverse on home ice to Cardiff Devils, he looks to be getting what he was looking for from his players.

“I loved our heart, I loved our effort in that game and I felt for the majority of the game we took care of business,” said Fox after his team’s 3-2 win at the Skydome Arena.

“We’re playing very good, defensive hockey right now and we’ve got better every week.

"There were some key guys who played really well, Brandon McNally I thought was outstanding, Dowdy (Rob Dowd) got another one tonight which was a huge goal (for us) and then Kevin Schulze with the game-winner.

“Also, great goaltending and great special teams is going to win you a lot of games in this league.”

After a goalless opening period, Steelers’ defenceman Sam Jones broke the deadlock at 25.53, although Coventry were level less than five minutes later thanks to Marly Quince's seventh goal in nine games.

Just over two minutes into the third, Robert Dowd restored the visitors’ lead from close-range, although again it wasn’t long before parity arrived, Colton Yellow Horn firing home on the powerplay at 44.38.

With exactly five minutes remaining, Kevin Schulze's wrist shot beat Jordan Hedley to put the Steelers ahead and the visitors' penalty kill units - including over a minute of 5-on-3 - saw them through.

On Saturday, in their Challenge Cup Group C clash with the Panthers at the Utilita Arena, the Steelers initially struggled to recover from going behind to an eight-minute power play effort from Jeremy Welsh.

The hosts weren’t able to level until the latter stages of the second period, the impressive Brandon McNally finding a way past Panthers’ Alex Dubeau, the game being won when Dowd struck at 50.18.

In NIHL National, Leeds Knights emerged from the weekend as clear leaders after two wins against Raiders IHC.

Captain Kieran Brown led the way with a double in Saturday’s 5-2 home ice triumph, with Grant Cooper continuing his early-season scoring rate with two in a 5-4 road win 24 hours later.

Sheffield Steeldogs made it three straight wins with a 5-2 win at home to Bristol Pitbulls, the goals coming from James Spurr, Jack Brammer, Jason Hewitt (2) and Thomas Palmer.

Hull Seahawks’ struggles continued, losing 7-2 at Milton Keynes Lightning before a 4-0 home reverse against Basingstoke Bison, leaving them without a win in six games.