AARON FOX says the hard work put in by his Sheffield Steelers in the off-season has enabled them to hit the ground running in the Champions Hockey League.

The Steelers went head-to-head with two of Europe’s finest last week, edged out by Switzerland’s Fribourg-Gotteron 403 before pulling off a stunning 3-02 win in overtime at Vaxjo Lakers.

The Steelers continue their European journey tonight at the Utilita Arena by hosting Czechia giants Sparta Prague before welcoming Swedish 2023-24 champions Skellefteå AIK on Sunday.

STRONG MESSAGE: Sheffield Steelers' celebrate their win over Sweden's Vaxjo Lakers. Picture courtesy of Steelers Media/CHL.

Written off in some quarters before the first puck had even dropped in Switzerland, the Steelers have confounded expectations, determined to prove that they can live among Europe’s finest just a few months after being crowned grand slam winners in the Elite League.

That determination started long before training camp began in Sheffield just over three weeks ago, with Fox delighted to have seen his players put in the hard yards over the summer before they even landed in the UK.

“A two-week training camp is tough to get through everything we want to get through, special teams is something especially that we weren’t able to focus on very much over the two-week period,” said the Steelers’ head coach.

“But the guys came in in good shape which is always a good starting point, especially on a two-week camp.

DIALLED IN: Sheffield Steelers' head coach Aaron Fox has been impresed by his players' commitment to the cause early on in the season. Picture: Dean Woolley/Steelers Media.

“If you’ve got to get the guys into hockey shape during camp and not then be able to focus on some of the systems stuff that you need to as well in such a short camp, then you’re swimming uphill a little bit.

“But, full credit to our guys, they looked fit, they looked excited for the moment and to have played as well as they played against those types of teams this early in the season says a lot for what they put in over the summer.”

That work-rate and will to win is something that will have to remain in place for the remaining four games of the CHL ‘regular season’ if the Steelers are to become only the second EIHL team to make it out of the first stage.

“We know the two teams we are playing, that if you take a shift off or a moment off, they are going to make you pay,” added Fox.

“So we’ve got to be fully dialled in for 60 minutes and I assume that the players will be ready for that challenge again this weekend.”

Sheffield Steelers v Sparta Prague: Steelers 'dialled in' on their commitment to CHL cause, says coach Aaron Fox