'Covid captain' Phillips hopes Steelers season will now be plain sailing

Sadly, the Great Britain winger is also proof of the vagaries that come with the clinical testing system for the virus, which has infected most of the team.

Phillips has been fit and healthy throughout the Omicron variant's reach across the country.

Yet he had a big surprise during the club's testing regime, which was implemented by Sheffield' s management to cover all angles.

Phillips says: "We'd tested on Boxing Day and the 27th and everything was negative but after that, we found out there was one (positive result) so we just knew then that within the next few days, there would be more and more.

"As a precaution, we all went for PCRs. I had tested negative on all my Lateral Flows so I only went for a PCR just to be on the safe side - and it came back as positive.

"I didn't have any kind of symptoms at all."

Phillips isolated but had further negative Lateral Flows on days six and seven leaving him free to go back into society.

"A couple of us (players) were talking and the worst thing that could have happened was the majority of the team got it like we pretty much all did, and you'd been negative the whole time and then when everybody gets back playing then you come down with it!

"At least now we have pretty much all had it and hopefully should be plain-sailing throughout."

Phillips said he had not heard of many finely-tuned athletes suffering severe symptoms.

But he added: "While that has been the common theme, it is sometimes tough to gauge over how you feel after a heavy schedule and being dehydrated after games. Look at the volume of games that we have had, you wonder is it Covid or is it just being worn out?

"I suppose if there was a good time to get it, it is around the time it arrived, you can spend that little bit more time with the family.

"Looking back the way things were going we knew we were going to get it at some point."

Phillips said the recent postponement of games - tomorrow's (Thursday) trip to Glasgow Clan is off - has had one positive spin off.

Defenceman Adrian Saxrud-Danielsen, who has been out long-term injured, will "end up having missed fewer games. He's got to be nearing the end of his injury and should be back soon."

Meanwhile, Cardiff Devils can catch top of the table Steelers up, on points, if they beat Manchester Storm at home tonight.

The Welsh will have played four more games than Sheffield, after the final hooter.

Steelers are also keeping an eye on third place Belfast Giants, who battered Nottingham 7-2 on Monday, for their eighth victory on the bounce.

Aaron Fox’s side will be back in action on Sunday at home to Guildford Flames (4pm face-off), but the Covid situation continues to wreak havoc on fixtures elsewhere.

Dundee Stars have been reassigned to the League's Covid protocol, meaning their next three games have been postponed.

Coventry Blaze are awaiting medical clearance to face Manchester on Sunday.