Big Match Preview: Play-Off Quarter Final v Guildford

Welcome to our preview of the next Sheffield Steelers games.

The regular season is done with, it's now time for Play-Off hockey as the Steelers start their defence of the Play-Off title which they won in such dramatic circumstances in Nottingham last April.

Their quarter-final opponent this season is the following team:

After finishing third in the regular season, Steelers face sixth placed Guildford in the quarter-final and it's a potentially difficult task as the Flames have more than enough about them to send the Steelers packing at the first knockout stage. They have the enigma that is Brian Stewart in between the pipes, who was part of the Coventry Blaze side that defeated the Steelers in the 2014-15 Final. Also in the Flames roster is Geoff Walker, a double scorer for the Steelers in that afore-mentioned dramatic Final last season.

Steelers have no major injury worries and welcome back both Mathieu Roy and Andreas Jämtin who are both available for selection which would give Head Coach Paul Thompson which imports to rest as he can only ice a maximum of 14 per game. Steelers have 16 on their books, hence a lot of people are already deliberating who will be the unfortunate ones. It's the biggest decision making exercise for Thompson and he has to get this spot on if the Steelers want to make the final four for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

The first leg is in Sheffield, and the return in Surrey on the Sunday. Steelers will need to build a decent advantage to give them the best possible chance.

My prediction? Steelers to make the final four by a three goal swing on aggregate. What about you?

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Big Match Preview: Edinburgh and Manchester

Welcome to our latest preview of the latest Steelers games.

It's the final weekend of the regular season and although the top two places have been confirmed, there's still plenty of hockey to be played to see whom finishes where in the top eight. Steelers could finish anywhere between third and seventh, that's how intriguingly poised everything is.

The final weekend begins on Saturday with a home game when we face a team that has struggled all season long, on and off the ice.

The poor old Edinburgh Capitals roll into the House Of Steel; with many people predicting another pummelling for the visitors. It's been another traumatic campaign for those long suffering Capitals fans which before the season started; promised so much with the capture of former NHLer Dmitri Khristich as their new head coach. But as become the norm, it didn't work out and soon the Capitals were being cast adrift at the bottom of the table. Hopes are again high for next season with a new management structure announced this week but one can only feel for the supporters who have witnessed a further year of underachievement.

After playing the Capitals on the Saturday, Steelers conclude their regular season games with a short trip. It's a visit to the following:

We go to the Shelter to face another testing encounter against Ryan Finnerty and his second placed Storm who have exceeded all expectations this season, and are a few people's dark horses to take the play-off crown. The Storm have toughness and skill in abundance which has helped them achieve so much this season, and Steelers will be in for a game when they arrive in Altrincham on Sunday. It won't be an easy way to finish, and Paul Thompson will be hoping his team comes out of it injury-free ahead of play-off action which follows the week after.

My predictions? It will be a routine home win on Saturday, Steelers to win that one 8-1 against those hapless Caps. Sunday will definitely be tougher, Storm to take that one 3-2 after overtime or in a penalty shootout. What about you?

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Big Match Preview: Fife (Away)

Welcome to our next match preview of the Steelers game.

After recording a stupendous road win at Ice Arena Wales, Steelers are back on the road in midweek as they play their penultimate away game of the season. It's a long away trip too as they go North of the Border to face this season's Gardiner Conference Champions:

It's a trip to "The Auld Barn" and the Fife Flyers lie in wait. Since their crowning as Gardiner Conference winners, Flyers have been up and down. Regular starter Andy Iles, who had been exceptional until picking up an injury that caused him to leave the Flyers game in the House Of Steel early, is still on the injured list. This means that Jordan Marr will probably be between the pipes unless Iles has fully recovered.

The game will also be the Flyers second game in as many nights as they are in Nottingham the night before. Could that prove a decisive factor in how the game will pan out? It conceivably could. Steelers need to again produce the goods as they still are within a shout of third place. That would be the message we would be preaching to the players if we were Paul Thompson. This could be a very close and tense game with both sides having firepower to score at will when given chances. Let's see eh?

My prediction? Steelers to take the game on visiting ice again, 4-2 is my call. What about you?

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Check out Breaking The Ice Available to listen and download on iTunes and SoundCloud.

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Big Match Preview: Nottingham and Cardiff

Welcome to the preview of this weekend's Steelers games.

After suffering a reverse in midweek, Steelers head in the penultimate weekend of the season mathematically sure of their play-off quarter final spot. They, however, face a couple of games in their own Erhardt Conference this weekend. This starts tonight (Saturday) when we host the following:

Yes it's a visit from those down the M1 - the equally underperforming Bears. Going into December, Corey Neilson's men looked well placed to be challenging for their first title since that treble winning season of 2013. But in typical Panther fashion, they fell away dramatically and currently lie in a very disappointing 7th place in the league standings. It's been like the Steelers, a season of inconsistency.

Steelers have had a good record against the Panthers for once this season, and will be hoping that continues. Miika Franssila is expected to have recovered from illness to resume his place back in the team which means someone will sit out. After his ejection in the last home game; will this be Fitzy? Panthers are hoping to finish the regular season on a high and get a decent quarter-final match up. Anything could happen tonight.

After this game Steelers are back in action on the Sunday and on the road. They travel south to a place they have already been this week, that being the following:

Newly crowned Elite League Champions (for a second time in a row) Cardiff Devils play host looking to get some points as they inch closer to a back to back title triumph. It certainly promises to be a party atmosphere for the home fans, and they could add the Erhardt Conference title if they overcome the Steelers.

Cardiff of course are beatable, we have to hope that there are a few hangovers in South Wales for that to happen. Can Steelers repeat the dose and delay those Welsh celebrations for a more few days. It will be a hard task but with the Steelers this season, again anything could happen.

My predictions? Steelers to win the Panthers again, I'm going 4-2 with an empty netter to seal the deal. Cardiff will again take the game in Ice Arena Wales though, 6-2 is my call. What about you?

Thanks for reading guys. If you want to get involved please contact us on Twitter or find us on Facebook and like us and leave a comment:-

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Check out Breaking The Ice Available to listen and download on iTunes and SoundCloud.

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Big Match Preview: Cardiff (Away)

Welcome to our look ahead to the next Sheffield Steelers game.

After a four point weekend, Steelers are on the road in midweek as the season intensifies to its conclusion. Steelers head south to visit the following:

Yes we're back in the principality for a game against the champions-elect Cardiff. It's a chance to pick up a rare win down there for the boys and beat the Devils for the second time in the space of four days. GB internationalist Ben Bowns didn't feature all weekend for Andrew Lord's team, and although Tom Murdy covered his absence very well indeed, we're expecting Bownsy to be back in between the pipes come tomorrow (Wednesday). If he isn't then there has to be something seriously wrong.

Steelers will be at full strength which means that Paul Thompson may be forced into deciding whom to sit as the spare import, a decision which will get much harder if as expected John Armstrong is back in contention for a team spot in two weeks time. One can only start speculate the combination he will have to make. With third placed Belfast at fourth placed Fife at the same time, a win for the Steelers could see them move into fourth if they succeed in South Wales.

My prediction? Cardiff to take the game on home ice, 5-2 is my call. What about you?

Thanks for reading guys. If you want to get involved please contact us on Twitter or find us on Facebook and like us and leave a comment:-

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@georgefbarber

Check out Breaking The Ice Available to listen and download on iTunes and SoundCloud.

Or Email the team at Frozen Steel

You can also get involved in Steelers related discussions by joining the forums at Steel Talk