Everything changes: Take That nick Sheffield Steelers' key Arena date

The club cannot now host their play off quarter-final at the Arena on April 13-14, as planned.

Instead it’s had to be moved to the smaller iceSheffield rink.

The club says: “With Great Britain qualifying for the World Championships, the EIHL play offs were originally scheduled for April 27-28 with the quarter finals being played on the 20th or 21st.

“However, following a request from IHUK for more preparation time, the play offs were moved forward a week, which clashed with Take That.

“The Arena’s calendar was full by the time the new time-frame was decided upon.”

Steelers’ owner Tony Smith had “no alternative” but to switch the moneyspinning match to iceSheffield.

“The Arena has done everything in its power to accommodate our fixture but with the league changing the dates we have been left in this difficult and unwanted situation.”

The move of the key game deals Sheffield a financial blow – only around 1,400 fans can squeeze into iceSheffield.

Saturday’s big Arena crowd saw goalie Matt Greenfield save Steelers’ bacon with an implacable first period show against a workaholic Coventry Blaze, stopping a Kobe Roth breakaway, diving at the feet of Archie Hazeldine and blocking a big Brady Norrish drive. Taran Kozun imperiously caught a full blooded Patrick Watling shot at the other end.

Then: a sobering dose of reality.

While Colton Saucerman scored Sheffield’s first of the season (Power Play, centre blue line) Kim Tallberg levelled on a PP before Blaze took the lead, J.D. Dudek sticking the puck between Greenfield’s legs.

Sheffield fought back with Mitchell Bulmas equalising, the match decided by a 3-2 overtime goal from Watling, who was still trying to shake off the effects of a clumsy boarding that saw Blake Thompson ejected.