Steeldogs prepare a welcome for their Elite neighbours

SHEFFIELD Steelers make the short trip to their second home on Tuesday night to take on lower-level city rivals the Steeldogs in a pre-season friendly (7.30pm).

Every season the Elite League champions play a handful of matches at the 1,500-seater Ice Sheffield venue due to ice being unavailable at their traditional Arena home.

Steeldogs – who ply their trade in the second-tier English Premier League – play out of the smaller venue every week and will be keen to prove they can be a good match for their more illustrious neighbours, although neither team will be expected to approach the clash too gung-ho as they strive to build a more harmonious working relationship, something sadly lacking in the past.

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The arrival of Ryan Finnerty as player-coach at the Steelers seems to have prompted more co-operation between the two clubs, who at times have endured a frosty relationship.

Steeldogs’ player-coach Payette has also been keen to forge closer links with his city rivals and is keen for his young team to try and gain and gain some top-flight experience, whether that be in practice drills or match action.

Finnerty said the need for both clubs to work closer together was obvious.

“It should be a good workout for us when we play the Steeldogs,” said Finnerty.

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“I expect them to come out hard at us and it will be a good chance for us to work at a few things - particularly given we didn’t get much ice time ahead of the trip to Belfast at the weekend.

“I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that the two clubs haven’t been more closely tied together in the past so we are looking to do something about that.

“It’s something that can only benefit hockey in the whole of Sheffield.”

Since replacing Matt Darlow as coach midway through last season, Payette has always been a keen advocate of his young players gaining more top-flight experience.

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As well as establishing a closer working relationship with their neighbours, Payette has also forged links with Yorkshire’s other top-flight club, Hull Stingrays. As a result, the much-admired Steeldogs netminder Ben Bowns is on a two-way contract with the East Yorkshire club, enabling him to gain some valuable Elite League experience whenever the Steeldogs are without a game.

The two sides fought out a physical 5-5 draw at Ice Sheffield last week, meaning the Steelers can expect to encounter a similarly tough workout.

“I want to help all my players try and play in the top-flight here,” said Payette.

“If they ever get the opportunity to play at the top level that’s great as far as I’m concerned.”

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The Steelers, who got their title defence off to the perfect start on Saturday night with a 2-1 win at Belfast Giants following a shoot-out, return to league action on Saturday when they welcome the Dundee Stars to the Arena (7pm).

The Steeldogs’ league campaign doesn’t start until Friday, September 23 at Swindon Wildcats and they will complete their pre-season preparations with the traditional Roses double-header against reigning EPL regular season champions Manchester Phoenix on September 17 and 18.