Giant challenge for Steelers title hopes

The EIHL fixtures released today show that Sheffield have no home ice available to them on the last weekend of the regular campaign.

In fact, their last three league games are at Manchester Storm (March 31) and then at Giants (April 5 and 6.)

Getting maximum points in back-to-back encounters in Northern Ireland is something not many teams manage to achieve, Sheffield being no exception.

But coach Aaron Fox will be hoping he will have formed a new-look side that is capable of that, and more.

Steelers, who financially rely on big gates on Saturday evenings, have lost an initially-scheduled home date in mid-October for a game against Storm, because a professional boxing show has now taken preference at the Arena.

That game will now take place on Wednesday, October 11.

Before then, Steelers will usher in the new EIHL league season with a home game against Coventry Blaze on Saturday, September 23.

That is nearly two weeks later than last season, when Steelers got off to a bad start with a 1-3 home loss to Cardiff Devils.

Coventry were a surprise team for parts of last season when they hit some eye-catching form.

They settled for fifth place in the division, three points behind Cardiff Devils and a whopping 24 points ahead of sixth place Manchester Storm.

Steelers, desperate to bridge the gap between them and treble-winning Belfast, have to wait until November 18 before they host the Giants.

The weekend of December 2 and 3 threatens to be a travel-weary one, Fox's roster playing at Dundee Stars on Saturday and then at Belfast on Sunday.

Presumably, the team is going to have to catch a ferry on Belfast game day.

Boxing Day sees Nottingham Panthers in a prospective sell-out at the Arena, while New Year's Day's fixture is Manchester Storm at home.

The Challenge Cup programme, meanwhile, begins on September 30 at home to Nottingham.

Away from Sheffield, a teenage Barnsley goaltending prospect has signed in the EIHL for Manchester.

College student Alex Oldale, 18, from Hoyland, was picked for the GB U18s squad in the 2021-22 season before signing with Blackburn Hawks.

Matt Ginn, the Storm coach, said: “I’m happy to bring Alex on board. He’s a talented, young goalie that really earned this opportunity with us.

"He trained with us last season and impressed the players and the staff with his ability, work ethic and compete level. I look forward to working with Alex and helping him to continue to develop at the pro level.”

Oldale said: “It’s all still a really overwhelming feeling - it came as a huge shock."