Steelers and Stingrays keep hopes alive with win double

RYAN Finnerty admits forward Neil Clark has made his life “difficult” after returning to the ice with a bang on a weekend when Sheffield Steelers maintained the pressure on Elite League leaders Belfast Giants.

Two games against Coventry Blaze produced four points for the Steelers – Belfast enjoyed the same return in their double header against Nottingham Panthers – and although player-coach Finnerty was left somewhat frustrated at times by his side’s inability to ‘work smart’, an impressive third-period comeback in Coventry yesterday more than made up for it.

It followed a 3-2 win over Paul Thompson’s team at the Motorpoint Arena on Saturday night, but it is Clark who will take the most satisfaction from a weekend which saw him come in from the cold to grab a goal in each game.

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He has effectively been the ‘spare’ import for Finnerty since early December, with games at a premium for the 30-year-old Canadian, but a decision to go with four defencemen on Saturday handed him a rare opportunity.

The visitors found themselves behind at Coventry through former Steeler Robert Farmer’s 15th-minute strike, which was cancelled out by Mike Ramsay.

Farmer added a second at the halfway mark before Owen Fussey made it 3-1 early in the third. But Steelers hit back with three goals in as many minutes, the first coming from Jason Hewitt at 46.06.

Jeff Legue levelled 30 seconds later before Clark got what proved the game-winning goal in the 49th minute. Ramsay added his second in the last two minutes.

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On Saturday, Steelers also had to come from behind, despite going ahead in only the second minute through Chad Huttel.

Two goals from Shea Guthrie put Blaze in front before Clark levelled on the powerplay at 37.39. It was Ramsay who pounced for the winner at 53.19 for two valuable points.

“You’ve got to be happy with four points,” said Finnerty.

“We struggled a bit in Coventry in the first two periods; we worked hard but not smart, which we did manage to do in the third period.

“You’ve got to hand it to Clarky – he’s making my life difficult at the moment. That’s the kind of player we need him to be.

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“He’s a credit to himself for the way he’s played and come through some adversity.”

Hull Stingrays secured a rare four-point weekend, crucially against one of their rivals for the post-season play-offs.

A 4-3 road win at Dundee Stars on Saturday was followed by a tense 3-2 victory after a shoot-out back on home ice against the same team last night.

Dominic Osman was the penalty shot hero for Hull, after Dmitry Rodin’s 55th-minute goal took the game into overtime.

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Saturday’s game-winning goal came from the stick of Jason Silverthorn in the 55th minute, after earlier efforts from Osman (2) and Derek Campbell.

The result leaves Hull 10 points clear of ninth-placed Dundee with 11 games remaining.

In the English Premier League, Sheffield Steeldogs enjoyed what could prove to be a pivotal weekend for their title chances.

First they romped to a stunning 9-2 victory at Slough Jets before edging out ‘Roses’ rivals Manchester Phoenix 2-1 after overtime.

It leaves them above Slough and only one point behind second-placed Manchester with a game in hand.