The Steelers head into the second leg in South Wales in a handsome position, having come out of last week’s first leg clash at the Utilita Arena 5-1 ahead.

That dominant performance compensated for the previous weekend’s meeting between the two at the same venue which saw Cardiff prevail 3-2, their second win in South Yorkshire this season.

But as the Devils hold the advantage on the road between the two teams, so do the Steelers, who head down the M4 with their impressive 5-2 victory at Ice Arena Wales back in October no doubt fresh in their minds.

IN THE THICK OF IT: Scott Allen made a noticeable impact on his return to action in last week's Challenge Cup quarter-fional first leg win over Cardiff Devils. Picture courtesy of Dean Woolley

They go into the clash on the back of a three-game winning streak, too, following up a 7-1 win at Glasgow Clan on Saturday – which marked captain Jonathan Phillips’s 1,000th appearance for the club – with a 5-1 triumph at Fife Flyers the following night.

It got their league campaign back on track having only taken a point from the weekend before, but it is a last four place in the Cup that they are targeting on Wednesday night.

“We won’t be taking anything for granted,” insisted Steelers’ head coach Fox.

“We know that team can score goals, so we have to be on our game ready to play the same way that we played last Wednesday – win every battle, out-compete and out-work that team and push hard right from the first puck drop.

CONFIDENT: Sheffield Steelers' head coach Aaron Fox is aware of the threat posed by Challenge Cup rivals Cardiff Devils - but backs his team to contin ue their good run of form. Picture courtesy of Dean Woolley/EIHL/Steelers Media.

“I thought we were very good in all facets of our game in the first leg and we need to be again. We were the more physical team, we rolled four lines and we made the most of our strength of numbers where they were a little bit light in terms of having a couple of players out and we took advantage of that to pull off a great first leg result.”

The Steelers had been boosted ahead of the first leg by the return to action of forwards Scott Allen and Evan Mosey, the latter not having iced since early October.

Both played significant roles on home ice against Cardiff, much as they did in the weekend in Scotland that followed.

Fox is pleased to see both men back on his match-night bench.

“They have both had great weeks,” added Fox. “Mosey had been out for a long time, but he’s such a fluid, good skater, his skating is so elite and that really plays into how I want to play

“And Scott Allen had a couple of goals on the weekend and was a big part of that win in the first leg, particularly the Danny Kristo goal with his big net-front presence.

“He’s a big bodied, two-way forward that, again, was excellent for us.”

Sheffield Steelers coach Aaron Fox wants repeat show in EIHL Challenge Cup decider at Cardiff Devils