Sheffield Steelers push the reset button in bid to get back in Elite League title frame
AARON FOX says the past week has been used as a reset for his Sheffield Steelers’ team as they look to get their Elite League title challenge back on track.
Since beating Nottingham Panthers 4-3 in overtime on Boxing Day the Steelers have won just two of the subsequent nine games.
The past two weekends on the road have proved tough, with a 6-0 win at Dundee Stars sandwiched in between defeats at Glasgow Clan and Fife Flyers and, last weekend, two losses at title rivals Belfast Giants.
Courtesy of a 3-1 win at Guildford Flames in midweek, the Giants moved two points ahead of Cardiff Devils to go clear at the top of the regular season standings, with the Steelers eight points adrift down in fourth and having played a game more.
With 23 games remaining - three of which are against Belfast - the Steelers still have time to regain the title they last won in 2024 as part of a historic treble, but the margin for error is narrowing.
Head coach Fox admitted confidence was an issue among his players at the moment, with the past few days being used to remind them of the quality they possess and which they proved prior to their current slump.
“We’ve treated it as a little bit of a training camp-type reset,”said Fox. “Focussing on some of the things that we need to get back to doing in order to be good
“From a confidence level side of things, that’s a big issue in our group right now. When things turn sideways a little bit, we haven’t reacted very well and we’ve started to turn into a bit of a team of panic plays.
“But there are a lot of good players in that room that have shown a lot of positive stuff earlier in the year, but, for whatever reason right now, individually to a man we just haven’t been good enough.
“But what I’ve loved this week is the compete level has been extremely high, there has been a good buy-in that way.
“It would be easy to just pout around all week and find excuses - but they’ve had a really strong week.”
The Steelers will hope that strong week translates across to a weekend that heralds a return to the Utilita Arena home for the first time since January 3 with two home games.
Manchester Storm - just four points off the Steelers in fifth - are today’s visitors (face-off 7pm), while Cardiff under former Steelers’ boss Paul Thompson make the trip up from South Wales on Sunday (4pm).
The Steelers are boosted by the return of captain Robert Dowd - who missed the weekend in Belfast for the birth of his third child.
The 37-year-old is second in the scoring for the team this season with 13 goals and 21 assists in 38 league and cup appearances.
A goal this weekend will see him reach another milestone as the first player in EIHL history to reach 400 goals.