How Sheffield Steelers can beat Cardiff Devils on Saturday

Steelers can beat Cardiff Devils on Saturday - even if the Welsh are the superior team
Eric Neiley chases a Cardiff opponent in their January meetingEric Neiley chases a Cardiff opponent in their January meeting
Eric Neiley chases a Cardiff opponent in their January meeting

.Sheffield were whitewashed 6-0 by the champions at the beginning of the month and have lost all previous games to them, this season.

But coach Tom Barrasso says hard work and application on the night can overcome the odds.

Eric Neiley chases a Cardiff opponent in their January meetingEric Neiley chases a Cardiff opponent in their January meeting
Eric Neiley chases a Cardiff opponent in their January meeting
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His recipe is simple: "The first thing you do is compete, that's why you play the game.

"Just because they have got better players, just because they have got more points, just because they are first-placed doesn't mean they cannot be beat.

"We need to show up with tenacity and grit and execute our systems and skate and do all the things that allow us to compete against any team."

Barrasso recalled a close game back in January, which Devils edged 3-2. "We played them very hard, here in this building, I know it's a while ago now, but we had a tight game. We turned over a puck late and lost.

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"It was a very competitive, hard-fought game, but good teams will do that to you. They find ways to win those close games.

"We will need to bring that same type of effort that we had against them.

"Our efforts in their building have been very poor, nothing any of us could be proud of. I am sure, hopefully, the players will be re-focused and energised at that time, to look to take that bad taste of that last game down at Cardiff out of their mouth."

Barrasso said his team had been more confident at home.

But he added: "Cardiff are obviously a very confident group regardless of where they are playing."

While the Sheffield coach is a big admirer of the Devils, he says he has not discounted Belfast Giants from the title race.