Video: Sheffield Steelers player back coach's winning philosophy

Tom Barrasso's philosophy of sticking what a winning formula is paying dividends.
SteelersSteelers
Steelers

The coach tends to select the goalie that won the previous game. And when star forward Eric Neiley returned to the club, last weekend, Barrasso was in no rush to make amendments to the top lines which have served him so well recently.

Neiley ended up pitched on a newly-formed fourth unit featuring another new boy Anthony DeLuca and Brandon Whistle, both of whom are looking for their first point in the EIHL.

SteelersSteelers
Steelers

First line team-mate Justin Buzzeo, who played alongside Neiley in the ECHL, recognised the thinking behind that move.

"He (Neiley) just came in, obviously has to get used to the systems, and how everything works around here" he said.

"He is there for now. Obviously, the team is doing well, so you have to stick with what's working."

Buzzeo rates the former Milton Keynes Lightning forward for his energy and speed.

Tom Barrasso on Arena bench v ManchesterTom Barrasso on Arena bench v Manchester
Tom Barrasso on Arena bench v Manchester

"We were linemates at Atlanta for two years, we worked well together and it's nice to have a familiar face back, for sure.

"He is fast, goes to the net and has a good shot. He is good along the boards, he is an all-round player. .a good player."

Steelers go into the weekend's back-to-back home games against Belfast Giants in a decent run of form.

"It's great any time you can win seven out of eight games and get on a roll; it is nice to see' said Buzzeo.

"Things are starting to come together here, we are starting to climb the standings.

As for Belfast: "Any time you get a first place team coming in here, it's a test to see where we are really at.

"It is nice we are on a roll going into the next couple of games, here."

Buzzeo said he hoped his team can stop Giants from taking their run of wins into double figures '“ preferably in regular time to avoid them getting any share of the points, but adding: "We'll take them any way we can!"