Sheffield Steelers - Kevin Tansey insists nobody being taken lightly in pursuit of Elite League crown

KEVIN TANSEY says Sheffield Steelers will not take any team lightly as the Challenge Cup winners return to action today looking to ensure they can add to their 2023-24 trophy haul.
By Phil Harrison
Published 16th Mar 2024, 06:45 BST
Updated 16th Mar 2024, 07:45 BST

The Steelers welcome Nottingham Panthers to the Utilita Arena (7pm face-off) before taking on Coventry Blaze on the road 24 hours later.

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Sheffield Steelers put the party on hold as they strive to make 2023-24 Elite Le...

Aaron Fox’s team need five wins from their remaining 10 games to clinch the Elite League regular season crown for the first time since 2016.

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NO LET-UP: Sheffield Steelers' Kevin Tansey insists the Challenge Cup champions are determined to add the Elite League regular season league title. Picture: Tony JohnsonNO LET-UP: Sheffield Steelers' Kevin Tansey insists the Challenge Cup champions are determined to add the Elite League regular season league title. Picture: Tony Johnson
NO LET-UP: Sheffield Steelers' Kevin Tansey insists the Challenge Cup champions are determined to add the Elite League regular season league title. Picture: Tony Johnson

Tansey, who has proved such a key piece of the team’s defensive unit this season, said: “Every team goes into a season wanting to win as many trophies as they can and we’re no different.

“Three was our goal at the beginning of the season - we’ve got one and now we have two more to get.

MORE – Sheffield Steelers coach Aaron Fox hails 'unreal' team after Challenge Cup triumph against Guildford Flames

MORE – Sheffield Steelers 3 Guildford Flames 1 - Steelers up and running as they secure first piece of silverware in Challenge Cup

GREAT NIGHT: Sheffield Steelers' Niklas Nevalainen and Kevin Tansey celebrate after beating the Guildford Flames 3-1 in the Challenge Cup Final at the Utilita Arena Picture: Tony Johnson.GREAT NIGHT: Sheffield Steelers' Niklas Nevalainen and Kevin Tansey celebrate after beating the Guildford Flames 3-1 in the Challenge Cup Final at the Utilita Arena Picture: Tony Johnson.
GREAT NIGHT: Sheffield Steelers' Niklas Nevalainen and Kevin Tansey celebrate after beating the Guildford Flames 3-1 in the Challenge Cup Final at the Utilita Arena Picture: Tony Johnson.

“We’ve put ourselves in a good position to do that and so we’re just going to keep living in the moment, keep working hard to get them and we’ll see what happens.

“We certainly don’t want to take anyone lightly, we know we have some tough opponents coming up and players play harder against us because we are in first place.

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“Everyone wants to spoil a party so we’re going to be a veteran group here and we’re just going to take that and be ready for Saturday and every night after that.”

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Reflecting on the team’s Cup triumph against Guildford Flames on wednesday, the 31-year-old Canadian said being on home ice - a right they’d earned by being the competition’s top seed throughout - proved a major advantage.

“Playing in our rink versus playing in the Guildford rink is a completely different game,” added the defenceman. “The majority of that 9,500 people were Sheffield fans, so that was huge and they were loud all night for us and I can’t thank our fan group enough.”

Related topics:Sheffield SteelersAaron FoxNottingham Panthers