Sheffield Steelers determined not to get too far ahead of themselves during hectic festive schedule

It’s a cliche often used in sport but the current Elite League leaders are literally focused on what is immediately in front of them. Or, to put it in more familiar language, one game at a time.

Over the next fortnight, the Steelers will take on four teams, twice each - starting with Saturday night’s visit from second-placed Cardiff Devils - already viewed by many as a ‘must-win’ encounter - before the traditional festive and New Year double-headers against Nottingham Panthers and Manchester Storm, while the first week in January brings a first trip of the season to South Wales and back-to-back clashes against a Glasgow Clan team that tends to blow hot and cold.

Steelers will spend Christmas Day atop the regular season standings having enjoyed such a positive start to the 2023-24 campaign - the aim is to ensure they remain there by the time Glasgow head home from the Utilita Arena on January 6.

“For me, we talk about eight games in 15 but we are so one game at a time,” said Fox. “We are just focussed on the next one in front of us - that has got to be our mindset here, making sure that we don’t overlook anything at the moment.

“We just focus on the game in hand and if we do that and we can find ways to win that next one, I think we’ll be in a good spot after these eight games.

“If you do look far ahead, that is when you can sometimes run into problems. Moving forward, we’ll play the best line-up that we feel gives us a chance to win that particular game on that particular night.”

It will be Cardiff’s second visit of the season to South Yorkshire, with Pete Russell’s team looking to repeat the kind of performance that saw them head home with both points after a 3-2 victory on October 1, one of only two regulation losses suffered by the Steelers so far this season.

“Cardiff are right behind us in the standings right now and we view that as a very, very important game,” added Fox. “Obviously there is still a huge amount of hockey to be played, but it is a huge one given the amount of hockey we’ve got coming up in the next couple of weeks.

“It won’t be difficult for us to get up for that game.”

The Boxing Day clash against Nottingham - in front of a sellout 9,400 crowd - brings the two old rivals together for the first time since the tragedy that saw Panthers’ forward Adam Johnson lose his life at the same venue on October 28.

Both evenings - the two lock horns again at the Motorpoint Arena the following day - will be poignant moments for both sets of players and fans.

With so much hockey coming the way of all 10 teams in the EIHL, strength in depth will be crucial, something the Steelers currently excel at.

Defenceman Sam Jones is the only long-term injury issue the Steelers are having to deal with, with the 26-year-old GB international pencilled in for a return in the first half of January.

But given their numbers and the form of a fourth line often containing Cole Shudra and Brandon Whistle, Fox and his coaching staff have plenty of selection options.

For the comfortable Challenge Cup quarter-final second leg win against Manchester on Wednesday night, the Steelers went with six import defencemen.

Should Fox prefer an extra import up front, he knows Shudra - and Jones when he is fit again - can seamlessly slot into the back line.

“It allows us to manage our group as best we can over this period,” added Fox. “The schedule is going to be tough for everybody over this period, there’s quite a few teams that have extras at the moment, but I just feel like our depth in general.

“We’re getting scoring throughout our line-up and that’s a huge testament to where we currently are in the standings and the success that we’ve had so far.

“Hopefully, it will play a huge part for us in the long stretch of games that we have coming up.”