Brendan Connolly's form is a 'huge boost' for Sheffield Steelers says coach

Brendan Connolly in hot form against Coventry, picture by Dean Woolley

But the 37-year-old is getting back to his best EIHL form and has been promoted up the Steelers' lines to centre key imports Marco Vallerand and Martin Latal.

Connolly's chemistry with Vallerand goes all the way back to their time together at Greenville Road Warriors in the ECHL, 12 years ago.

They were Sheffield linemates in the Challenge Cup-winning team of 2020.

And both men looked happy to be alongside each other last weekend, when Steelers beat Nottingham Panthers and Coventry Blaze.

Connolly had iced on the third and fourth lines the previous weekend in Northern Ireland.

Coach Aaron Fox said: "Conns had a great weekend in Belfast, he wasn't playing with Vally there...they do have a good on-ice relationship so I felt like I would promote him in our line up a little bit, play him with someone he has had some real success with.

"If we get the Conns have got in the last four games it is a huge boost to our group."

Martin Latal pops the question to Marco Vallerand

Vallerand, said Fox, had returned to the club from his spell abroad: "In good shape, he puts teams under pressure with his speed, he has a very heavy shot, he'll score a lot of goals."

Latal scored twice in a man-of-the-match performance against Coventry and hit the net at Nottingham too.

"Latal had been outstanding all year, creating so much offensive pressure," said Fox.

"Maybe pucks hadn't gone in for him like we would all of liked but that's hockey that sport, some nights they are going in then you go through some dry spells, but he has created offence for us all year."

The two wins put an end to a sequence that had seen Sheffield drop five games out of six.

"Any time you are not getting the points you are always going to get frustrated and be disappointed," said Fox.

Fox said he admired their all-round game on Sunday against Coventry Blaze, barring a first period misfiring of the power play units.

Blaze had beaten Cardiff 6-0 last Saturday "and you don't do that unless you are a good hockey team."

The coach said: "We had to be at our best...I thought we were closer to that team that won 11 straight games, earlier in the year.

"We lost our way a little bit, offence is key in this sport and for whatever reason, we didn't have a ton of it lately."

It was good to score four goals, twice, last weekend, he said.