Sheffield Steelers v Cardiff Devils: Captain Jonathan Phillips determined to be first to get hands on Challenge Cup again

HAVING taken so long to get their hands on the Challenge Cup once again, Sheffield Steelers are in no mood to give it up easily.
Jonathan Phillips battles on the boards during Sheffield Steelers' Sunday night Elite League clash with Cardiff Devils. Picture: Dean Woolley/EIHL.Jonathan Phillips battles on the boards during Sheffield Steelers' Sunday night Elite League clash with Cardiff Devils. Picture: Dean Woolley/EIHL.
Jonathan Phillips battles on the boards during Sheffield Steelers' Sunday night Elite League clash with Cardiff Devils. Picture: Dean Woolley/EIHL.

Aaron Fox’s team finally ended the club’s 17-year wait for the top-flight trophy two years ago when beating Cardiff Devils at Ice Arena Wales in a 4-3 triumph.

It proved to be the only piece of Elite League silverware presented during the 2019-20 campaign as, a few days later, the league shut down for the remainder of the season due to the onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

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The current season has also been affected by coronavirus, with most teams forced to adhere to the league’s Covid protocols.

Sheffield Steelers' head coach Aaron Fox, on the bench during Sunday's Elite League clash with Cardiff Devils. Picture: Dean Woolley/EIHL.Sheffield Steelers' head coach Aaron Fox, on the bench during Sunday's Elite League clash with Cardiff Devils. Picture: Dean Woolley/EIHL.
Sheffield Steelers' head coach Aaron Fox, on the bench during Sunday's Elite League clash with Cardiff Devils. Picture: Dean Woolley/EIHL.

That has caused widespreasd postponemtns and a fixture backlog meaning tonight’s last-four encounter against the Devils at the Utilita Arena will decide who makes it through to the final, rather than the usual two-legged semi-final that is scheduled.

For the Devils it will be a second trip to South Yorkshire in just four days, their last visit seeing them head home with two regular season league points after edging out their hosts 3-2 after a shootout.

But the Steelers – currently top of the league standings with Cardiff three points adrift in third and having played four games more – will have taken plenty of encouragement from their performance in front of an 8,000-plus crowd on Sunday.

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Having outshot the Devils 46-21, Steelers’ captain Jonathan Phillips saw no reason to doubt that, this time, his team can come out on top and book their spot in the final against either Nottingham Panthers or Belfast Giants, who also play tonight.

“We’re expecting nothing different from them,” said Phillips about his former club.

“I actually thought we played unreal on Sunday. We dominated the puck and we had so many chances. Their goalie played really well – as did ours – and I thought we were pretty dominant throughout.

“And if we play like that every night then we’ll be winning plenty of games. It wasn’t to be on Sunday and while there was the obvious frustration with the result afterwards, nobody was down or disheartened at all because we knew we’d played well.

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“It took a long time to get hold of that trophy again, as a club, so we’re not in any mood to give it up easily. It’s also the first trophy up for grabs this season and we want to make sure we’re in that final pushing hard to retain it.

“There isn’t more pressure on us than any other team – it’s just about who wants it the most.”

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