How 'Vintage' Brendan Connolly is inspiring Sheffield Steelers

Brendan Connolly, once the scourge of EIHL opposition, had been a first-choice cut from the squad for multiple games earlier this season.

He has played 11 games less than many of his Sheffield team mates.

But he didn’t sulk while sat out, he simply got himself prepared for the moment he would return.

That is now happening. And in spades.

He was outstanding in last Sunday’s 4-1 win at Guildford Flames, and was the man of the match game-winner in Wednesday’s 2-1 home victory over Dundee Stars.

“Conns played arguably the best game of his year down in Guildford and was very, very good against Dundee,” said coach Aaron Fox

“He is in form at the moment which is great to see. He plays hard, he makes plays under pressure – we are getting vintage Conns right now.”

The coach added: “He has been very engaged, he’s finding team mates, making plays, making those decisions in tight spaces which I think is what has made him a dominant player in the past.

“He has had some struggles finding numbers, he is usually a point-a-game guy and has contributed less.

“It was a big ask to come in after that ACL (injury) and get him to 100 per cent. We are a year out from surgery and he is finding his form.”

Connolly has now scored four goals and two assists in his last six games.

How Steelers needed him on Wednesday in what was another below-par performance at times.

While they only gave up a measly 11 shots on their own goal, there is no hiding from the fact they are not scoring enough.

They have only scored nine goals, at home, in the last five matches.

The modest midweek win at least raised them from fourth spot to joint second with Guildford.

Fox admitted his side had panicked after failing to score and going behind.

Explaining the psychology, he said: “The way things have gone in the last month it has made it easier to feel sorry for yourself.

“You expect bad things to happen rather than find a way for good things to happen.”

His side, without injured Martin Latal and Brandon Whistle, had swarmed around Stars’ crease, but couldn’t produce a goal in a misfiring first period.

Goalie Anton Svensson stopped Matt Petgrave’s effort and must have been relieved when Daniel Ciampini fanned on a pass from Marco Vallerand.

Dundee were conservative and ultra-defensive, yet the bottom-of-the-league team went ahead when their most inventive player, Philippe Sanche, was granted time to control the puck and plant it past Matt Greenfield.

The visitors continue to contain and frustrate Sheffield and Elijiah Barriga could have made the scoreline worse but shot wide from a good position.

Marco Vallerand hit the outside of a post but the eventual equaliser came via a perhaps unlikely source.

Defenceman Sam Jones burst off the bench and powered a pass into the path of Robert Dowd, who ended a 13-match drought.

Jones turned provider again for one of several chances for Brett Neumann but the Canadian couldn’t execute.

As a spectacle, it wasn’t hugely entertaining.

But a power-play goal at 52:36 at least secured the points, Connolly being in the right place to back-hand home from Dowd and Scott Allen.