Relieved Phillips keen to make up for lost time

SHEFFIELD Steelers captain Jonathan Phillips came through his return to action unscathed and is now focused on staying injury-free to lead his team to a second successive Elite League title.

The 29-year-old forward was out for three months after picking up an early-season knee injury against strugglers Dundee Stars. To add insult to injury, the damage was to the same knee which saw him sidelined for a similar length of time last season.

But the Welshman reported no ill-effects after coming through two physical games against former club Cardiff Devils and then Hull Stingrays at the weekend.

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His powers of recovery will be tested further when the Steelers play three games in as many days, starting on Friday at the Motorpoint Arena (7.30pm) against current league leaders Belfast Giants.

Delighted to be finally back out competing on the ice, Phillips said he was relieved to put months of frustration behind him.

“It felt good out there against Cardiff and the strength in the knee was there,” said Phillips.

“There wasn’t anything in the back of my mind when I got back out there. If anything I wanted to get hit early just to get it tested.

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“Mentally I was ready weeks ago – I’d had enough of watching, but that is always the worst part.

“The biggest thing is that you have to have confidence in it (the knee) otherwise you won’t be ready to play.

“It can be a lonely process coming back from an injury like that but, with it being the second time in as many years – I knew what I had to do to get back and that helped me focus more.”

Phillips said the arrival of forward Luke Fulghum from cash-strapped Coventry Blaze last week had provided a welcome boost to Steelers’ title hopes and said the highly-rated American would have few problems fitting in to what is already proving a successful team under player-coach Ryan Finnerty.

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“Fulgy scores goals for fun, he’s great on the puck and I’ve seen him controlling the puck on the powerplay for Coventry,” added Phillips. “He has that knack of finding the net from anywhere.”

The reason behind Fulghum’s surprise release from Coventry last week became clearer on Monday when the Blaze ownership issued a widespread appeal for financial help to negotiate itself through a tricky period due to cashflow problems.

A combination of reduced ticket sales and less-than-expected sponsorship revenues prompted Coventry – four-time winners of the Elite League – to issue a stark warning over its future.

The response has been impressive, both locally and from the ice hockey community around the world, with rival clubs, both at home and abroad, as well as some former Coventry players offering their support.

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Head coach Paul Thompson insisted last night, however, that Coventry’s current financial difficulties would have no effect on the running of Hull Stingrays, the Elite League rivals the Blaze ownership bought last summer after the former owners were forced to close it.

“I’ve been astounded by the response,” added Thompson. “It is difficult right now, but we’re dertmined to get through this tricky period.

“We’ve had a lot of challenges at this club trying to keep up with the bigger arena teams.

“But this is the biggest challenge we’ve faced yet.”