Sheffield Steelers v Nottingham Panthers: Steelers keen to keep hopes of overdue Cup triumph alive

The fierce rivals still have to meet each other again twice in the league schedule but first face-off over two nights in the Cup’s two-legged semi-final.

Tonight’s first leg sees the Steelers host Corey Neilson’s side at Ice Sheffield before heading down the M1 to complete the tie at the National Ice Centre.

As has been well documented, the Steelers have never won the competition in the Elite League era, finishing runners-up five times, including a 2-1 defeat to Cardiff Devils at Sheffield Arena last season.

Head coach Paul Thompson is desperate to end that barren run for the South Yorkshire club and add to his own tally of two Cup wins while at Coventry Blaze in 2005 and 2007.

“We want to be in the mix for everything so there’s no doubt we will be 100 per cent committed across the next two nights,” said Thompson, who will still be without injured forwards Colton Fretter and Robert Dowd.

“This cup is a lot harder to win than the play-offs and we want to get our name on it this time around. The fact it is Nottingham is another reason it means so much to everybody here.”

Steelers head into tonight’s first leg buoyed by turning their double-header weekend with title rivals Cardiff Devils around.

Thompson’s players went down 4-3 on home ice on Saturday only to hit back 24 hours later in South Wales with a thrilling 5-4 triumph.

It leaves the race for regular season honours finely poised, although Cardiff remain in the driving seat as they are two points ahead of Steelers with a game in hand.

Nottingham, who second-placed Steelers face on March 12 and 19, can pull themselves level with the defending champions if they win their two games in hand.

“I had a feeling it would work out the way it did at the weekend,” added Thompson.

“Both teams were so desperate to win in each other’s rinks and worked so hard to achieve that.

“I think there is a mutual respect between both sets of players after what we’ve been through against each other this season.

“That happens when you are both chasing the same thing and it was the same last season.”

Thompson was also quick to applaud the efforts of Steelers’ British forward Jason Hewitt, who became the first-ever player to play in 800 Elite League games on Sunday night.

“He deserves every accolade he gets because what he has achieved is a fantastic message to any young British player coming through,” said Thompson.

“It shows that if you keep putting the effort in both on and off the ice there is every chance you can have a long, successful career at the top level in this country.

“And it isn’t easy for British players in the domestic game over here at the moment so it makes Hewy’s achievement even more special.”