VIDEO: Sheffield Steelers can make amends with Play Off masterpiece

It couldn't have come at a worse time.
John ArmstrongJohn Armstrong
John Armstrong

For the first time in the domestic League and Cup season, Sheffield Steelers have lost three consecutive games.

The one that hurt the most, ofcourse was the 3-2, Challenge Cup final defeat last Sunday to Cardiff Devils.

And centreman John Armstrong says he and his team-mates are in no rush to experience that crushing disappointment again, this season.

“We have learned now from our last few games, especially this one (Cardiff)” he said.

“The guys were pretty down in the room. We don’t want to feel this way again. So I think: better watch out come Play Offs.”

There are six games left to play in the Elite League regular season- and Sheffield are 10 points behind Cardiff, who play in South Yorkshire on Sunday.

Armstrong admits he “didn’t know what happened” to account for the 4-1 home defeat by seventh-placed Coventry Blaze, last Saturday.

“It was a poor performance, we should never play that way” he said.

“I don’t think that will happen again. The guys were not happy after that game, I think everybody was embarrassed.”

Armstrong did not think there was anything wrong with strategy or tactics employed at Cardiff the day after.

“I think we just had to capitalise on our chances and that’s hockey - in a one-game final anything can happen.

“They played good defence and we didn’t get a lot of chances right around their net. They deserved to win.”

Devils have beaten Sheffield seven out of nine times, but the forward said: “A lot of the games we have played against them have been really close and we deserved to win some of those.

“But we had costly penalties at the end of the game or sometimes we just couldn’t pull it off” said the 29-year-old Canadian.

On Saturday, Steelers play at Braehead Clan, who themselves are on a two-match losing streak, while Cardiff are at home to Dundee Stars.