Coach Aaron Fox ‘disappointed’ despite Sheffield Steelers ‘gaining a point’ in home defeat to Guildford Flame

A spot of dental work all in a day's work on the Steelers bench at the Arena. Picture: Dean Woolley

They had lost 2-3, following a penalty shoot out to Guildford Flames, collecting the single point courtesy of their post-regulation time involvement.

You could see where they were coming from in the sense that their team had powered in 40 shots, twice as many as Flames, come back from 2-0 down, and had scored what looked like a winner from Robert Dowd – but the puck had hit the net a split second after the overtime hooter had gone.

That single point may indeed be useful, come the run-in to the EIHL season.

Mitchell Balmas stonewalled at the Arena. Picture: Dean Woolley

But home game results will also be a key factor.

And the cold hard fact, at close of business, on Saturday, was that Steelers have lost three times this campaign, all of those coming at Broughton Lane.

With Cardiff Devils on their heels and Belfast Giants likely to go into a second-half-of-the-season gallop, Sheffield need to shore up their fortress and mirror their away results.

The side had been strangely subdued in the first half of the opening period, the 6,548 spectators watching Peter Crinella put the visitors ahead after five minutes.

Ben O'Connor happy with a teammate's goal at the Arena. Picture: Dean Woolley

Guildford doubled their lead on the power play when ex-Steeler Ben O’Connor assisted on Steven McParland’s effort on 24 minutes.

Four minutes later, Sheffield were back in the game through Brett Neumann and Daniel Ciampini found the goal he’d been missing in his previous six outings to level at 47:21.

In the shootout the big guns couldn’t find the ruthlessness required, Mitchell Balmas, Patrick Watling, Josh Nicholls and Mikko Juusola unable to ruin Guildford goalie Eamon McAdam’s night. Ryan Tait collected the winner.

Aaron Fox, the Sheffield coach, was only “a little bit disappointed” and enjoyed his side’s push back and chance creation, which included hitting the post twice.

“We didn’t quit when were down 2-0 … that says a lot about our group,” he said, adding they had deserved the second point.

Flames boss Paul Dixon, though, thought his team had the guts required to eke out maximum points.

* With injured Sam Jones out for six or seven weeks, Sheffield have recruited Glasgow Clan’s Zach Vinell.

The Scottish club revealed on December 5 that they had accepted a “release request” from the 25 year old.