VIDEO: Phillips confident Steelers can overcome lowly Capitals

WHILE Edinburgh Capitals may currently prop up the Elite League standings, Sheffield Steelers’ Jonathan Phillips insists they cannot be taken lightly in South Yorkshire tomorrow night.
TAKE NO CHANCES: Jonathan Phillips believes Sheffield Steelers can overcome Edinburgh Capitals on Wednesday night at Ice Sheffield.TAKE NO CHANCES: Jonathan Phillips believes Sheffield Steelers can overcome Edinburgh Capitals on Wednesday night at Ice Sheffield.
TAKE NO CHANCES: Jonathan Phillips believes Sheffield Steelers can overcome Edinburgh Capitals on Wednesday night at Ice Sheffield.

The Steelers play host to their Scottish rivals on the back of an impressive four-point weekend brought about by wins against Nottingham Panthers and Coventry Blaze – victories that moved Doug Christiansen’s team up to second in the table.

And while they face a near-impossible task to claw back the 17-point gap between themselves and runaway leaders Belfast Giants, GB international Phillips believes the Steelers need to maintain the momentum they have built up since the Christmas period in order to make sure they capitalise should the Northern Ireland club stutter at all.

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The Steelers head to the Odyssey Arena this weekend following the visit of Edinburgh and do have two games in hand on the Giants. But they also are going to require a drastic loss of form from the Giants if they are to stand any chance of reining them in.

TAKE NO CHANCES: Jonathan Phillips believes Sheffield Steelers can overcome Edinburgh Capitals on Wednesday night at Ice Sheffield.TAKE NO CHANCES: Jonathan Phillips believes Sheffield Steelers can overcome Edinburgh Capitals on Wednesday night at Ice Sheffield.
TAKE NO CHANCES: Jonathan Phillips believes Sheffield Steelers can overcome Edinburgh Capitals on Wednesday night at Ice Sheffield.

“We’re happy with our performances of late and I think we’ve got a bit of confidence which we were lacking for a while there and it was tough to get a couple of wins in a row,” said Phillips.

“But from when played those games over Christmas, I think we’ve really found our identity.”

Player-coach Richard Hartmann brings his Capitals side into Sheffield desperate for points to make a late push for the play-offs.

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They currently sit bottom of the overall league standings, with only 10 wins to their name and 11 points adrift of the play-off positions.

Many people would consider Edinburgh’s season to be over – they are also highly unlikely to win the Gardiner Conference, which provides an alternative route to the post-season – but, having beaten the likes of Nottingham, Belfast and Coventry already this season, Phillips acknowledges Steelers have to be on their guard.

“They have had a couple of big results this season,” said Phillips. “That’s why you can’t afford to take these teams lightly, any team can beat anyone on any given night.”

With the Elite League widely regarded as close to a North American style of hockey in general, Edinburgh often provide a different challenge for the other nine teams in the league, given their preference under Hartmann, for a less physical, European-style game – something allied to the fact the majority of their roster is made up of players from Eastern Europe.

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“Edinburgh play more of a European style and keep the puck well - they don’t like to give it away and don’t like to just dump it in the hope of creating something,” explained Phillips.

“They’ll just keep turning back and try to wear you down that way. We’ve had some tough games against them but, the way we’re playing at the moment, we’re confident going into this game.”