Simon in title challenge to Steelers

Steelers are on a three-game losing streak – their worst run of the season - having followed up a 5-2 defeat in Belfast on Saturday with a 4-1 loss at Nottingham Panthers the following day.

It has left Sheffield tied at the top of the table on points with a resurgent Cardiff Devils, although the Steelers are ahead by virtue of having won more games. Belfast – who arrive at Ice Sheffield tonight (7.30pm) on the back of a 12-game winning streak – are one point behind the top two with a game in hand.

Should Steelers win all four of their remaining games then the title is theirs for a third time and Simon said he did not want to have to rely on results elsewhere at this late stage of the campaign in order to lift the regular season trophy.

“We made life difficult for ourselves at the weekend and we paid the price,” said Simon. “It was an opportunity to separate ourselves from the other two but we didn’t take it.

“We still control our own destiny now, but we’ve got to start making sure we take control of it.

“There is nothing worse than having to rely on somebody else in this kind of situation and if we lose to Belfast that’s the situation we’ll find ourselves in.”

Hull Stingrays will still hope to make a late charge for a top-six finish when they take on Coventry Blaze (7.30).

With six games remaining, Sylvain Cloutier’s team find themselves five points behind Coventry with a game in hand and will have been buoyed by their thrilling 6-5 victory at the home of the reigning league champions on Saturday night.

Player-coach Sylvain Cloutier, who could return to the line-up after missing three games, said: “Coventry have dominated us at home and have been the better team in our building.

“They have found a way to out-play us at home, they have been one of the only teams to do that.

“We have to find a way to figure out how to beat them on Wednesday. They have had our number but hopefully that will change.

“The games have been good and physical against them this season. If we can pull it off on Wednesday that would be great.”