Sheffield Steelers v Fife Flyers: Mitchell Balmas enjoying hectic schedule as Steelers develop winning habit
Forward Mitchell Balmas, however, has been revelling in the hectic schedule that has taken the Steelers all over Europe so far this season and - ahead of a weekend bringing road trips to Manchester Storm and Cardiff Devils - is going through final preparations this morning ahead of tonight’s Elite League clash against the Fife Flyers at the Utilita Arena.
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Hide AdAs has been the case for most of the season, the Steelers go into the game in good form, the 4-2 win over Cardiff on home ice on Saturday one that left head coach Aaron Fox purring over what he regarded as an overdue ‘60-minute performance’, one that stretched their winning streak to five games.
Balmas - the overall top points scorer in the Elite League last year - has not been slow out the starting blocks this time either, currently 19 points in 18 games in all competitions, nine of them goals.
The tight schedule is clearly not something that has held him back in any way, scoring in all but two of the league and Challenge Cup games this season, while also contributing two goals and two assists in the six Champions Hockey League matches.
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Hide AdAnd while a break from the three-game week might be welcomed after the forthcoming weekend on the road, Balmas is happy to keep on playing.
“It’s fun,” insisted the 26-year-old left-hander.
“The reason that we play is for the games, but you obviously need your practice, you need to tune up and get your game where you need to be.
“There are a lot of high-intensity games right now and it’s been fun. Being able to travel across Europe, playing some top teams and then coming back here and playing some really good teams, too - it’s fun to be playing this many games.”
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Hide AdBalmas is also confident that whoever he gets put out on the ice with, he is guaranteed to be alongside some top quality - such depth being a key reason behind the Steelers’ grand slam in 2023-24.
“It’s something that you get used to,” added the Nova Scotia-born winger. “It’s been said so many times, but we’ve got so many good players in the dressing room and on the bench that it doesn’t really matter who you get put with you’re going to play with a good player - it’s just a case of getting the job done when you are out there.”
As for tonight’s opponents, the Flyers arrive in South Yorkshire still looking to kickstart their campaign, having lost 12 of their 16 league and cup games so far.
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Hide AdThe weekend brough Tom Coolen and his players nothing but further problems when they followed up a 3-0 loss on the road in the Challenge Cup at Glasgow Clan with a 7-2 defeat at home to Dundee Stars the following night.
Last season saw the Steelers dominate the head-to-head series between the two, the Flyers only relief coming in a 2-1 win in Kirkcaldy in January.
They left empty-handed on all four visits to the Utilita Arena, including a 9-4 thrashing in the first leg of the play-offs, the Steelers finishing the job with a 4-1 win in Scotland the following night before going on to complete the treble in Nottingham with victory in the final over the Belfast Giants.
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Hide AdFox said he was looking forward to a first clash of the season with the Scots, vowing he and his players would not be taking them lightly.
"We’ll look at their weekend games,” said Fox. “And then we’ll make sure that we’re ready to put together another 60-minute performance.”