NEWCASTLE Vipers goalie Ryan MacDonald owes his team a pretty big performance - but Steelers coach Dave Matsos hopes it does not arrive on Sunday.
MacDonald's net was bulging at Sheffield Arena last Saturday, when Steelers scored no fewer than eight times.
And the following night was not a whole lot better, Vipers going down 4-0 at home to Nottingham Panthers.
MacDonald, aged 22, did not cover himself in glory at Sheffield, his form mirrored by a team who have achieved only one win in their last 10 outings.
Watch our interview with Steelers coach Dave Matsos. Click the green play icon at the top of the page.Matsos is preparing his team for the trip to free-falling Newcastle on Sunday. He says: "Their team has been conceding a lot of goals recently and if there is one guy you have got to have showing good form it is your goaltender.
"MacDonald was in great form at the start of the season, he was really tough to get the puck past.
"But he and the others are going through a bit of a patch.
"Every team needs the injection of adrenaline that you get when a goalie comes up with a big save, and that didn't happen for them at our place last Saturday."
MacDonald's save percentage is not bad - his 91.5 per cent ratio is only slightly behind Steeler Jody Lehman's.
And Vipers are only three points behind Sheffield. Tonight, they could close that gap by winning their game in hand at second-from-bottom Hull Stingrays.
READ MORESteelers visit hospital kids - VIDEO.More ice hockey.Football headlines.Football gossip.More sport.The full article contains 285 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
