Sheffield Steelers: It's payback time for Coventry Blaze

1: If the Steelers have ever owed a team a beating then its the Coventry Blaze – Could the Blaze cost the Steelers the league title this season?

The year started well against the Blaze with a 4-0 road win and a 5-0 beating at home – things were rosy. Then in league play the Blaze have turned fortunes around. In four visits to the Skydome the Steelers picked up just one point. At the Arena the Steelers have managed a win and overtime loss against the Blaze - that’s 12 points dropped. The most any team has taken off us this year.

2: Steelers and Coventry Blaze share the most amount of EIHL titles won – four – the Blaze are desperate for the Steelers not to win a fifth.

A win on Sunday and the Steelers will go into next weekend's final two games of the league campaign as favourites for the title. The Steelers head coach Paul Thompson led the Blaze to their four league titles, he knows that team success beats any individual goals but he would become the first person with five league titles if the Steelers are successful. His former club though are like an irritating rash. In Brian Stewart they have one of the league's most dominating players and a goalie who has stoned the Steelers in many recent games.

3: Guillaume Desbiens is back from suspension and he isn’t happy – suspended playing against the Blaze he and the Steelers are looking for retribution – with a win of course. Blaze have had their fun and now its Steelers turn at the business end of the year.

4: The Golden Child is Back and with a Bang. Robert Dowd said “enough was enough” last week and ahead of schedule put the knee brace on and played.

The doctorsand physio winced but Dowd, on the back of a new three year contract led the way. Dowd has had success against the Blaze before and with him leading the charge the momentum is building – it’s all out Dowd attack on Sunday against the Blaze.

5: Over 7500 in attendance last Saturday against Fife – Another bumper crowd on Sunday against Coventry. The people of Sheffield are realising this title charge is for real.