Stars on ice
Thousands are expected to turn out at the Motorpoint Arena to help mark the club’s 20th anniversary with a host of Steelers’ legends returning to help the celebrations go with a bang.
Mike Blaisdell and Alex Dampier - the Steelers’ most successful and popular coaches - will be present for a hockey-packed day, which will include a Legends game featuring more than 20 of the club’s former players against a Cardiff Devils side full of their own past favourites.
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Hide AdA number of junior games involving the hoped-for stars of tomorrow will precede the much-anticipated legends game (3pm), while the two clubs’ current rosters will face-off against each other in the evening (6.30pm) as part of their pre-season preparations for the 2011-12 Elite League campaign.
Forward Tommy Plommer, who became a Steelers’ favourite during eight years at the club from 1992, will have his shirt retired before the legends game and is returning to the UK for the first time since he returned home to Canada in 2000.
He said: “It’s going to be an emotional day.
“I was there for virtually all of my 20s which is a vital time in your life where you learn such a lot, not just about sport, but life.
“It’s been 10 years since I left so it will be great stepping out on that arena ice again in front of those fans.”
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Hide AdAmong the other players to return to the ice for the afternoon are Ron Shudra, who will be captain, Wayne Cowley, Tim Cranston, Tony Hand, Mike Peron, Jason Lafreniere, Rick Brebant, Dennis Vial and Ronnie Wood, the former GM who, along with then player-coach Shudra helped start the club back 1991.
Tickets are still available for the event priced between £5 to £24.50. For further information and to book tickets please contact 0114 256 5656.
HULL Stingrays also get their pre-season preparations underway this weekend when they welcome Coventry Blaze to Hull Arena (7pm).
They will then make the return trip to Coventry tomorrow (6pm) before facing the Sheffield Steeldogs in a pre-season friendly at Ice Sheffield on Tuesday (7.30pm).