How Sheffield Steelers has wrecked Guildford Flames' season...so far

At the start of the 2023-24 Elite League season Guildford Flames were confidently planning to usher the new campaign in with a win over Sheffield Steelers, the team that had ended the previous year five points behind them in the EIHL table.

Instead, they lost that first home game of the season 3-1 to the eventual champions.

And it got steadily worse for them after that reversal, when it came to playing the South Yorkshire side.

In fact, Steelers have pretty much wrecked Flames' season so far.

Sheffield beat them 3-1 on in the Challenge Cup Final on March 13.

And 11 days later Guildford suffered the ignominy of losing 7-4 at Sheffield Arena, the result ensuring their hosts were league winners.

No team likes being the patsy in circumstances like that.

There can be no greater motivation for Paul Dixon's men as they reload before Saturday's Play Off semi final.

The notion of getting their own back - by wrecking Sheffield's treble dream while getting through to Sunday's final - will be a powerful incentive.

They will have to produce form they have rarely shown against Steelers this season, though, if they are to accomplish that.

Flames have shipped in 28 goals in the seven contests with Sheffield and beat them once, in a game that went to the lottery of a shoot-out.

April has been a kind month to the Surrey side, so far, though, they have won three out of four games and put Manchester Storm out of the post-season reckoning, with a 9-1 aggregate mauling.

Dixon said his side was "excited to get ready and do what we can to get into the Trophy game.”

They will be looking for that level of efficiency and enthusiasm in Saturday's game, which faces off in Nottingham at 3pm.

Flames certainly won't want to replicate March's patchy form, when they lost five consecutive matches.

The other semi finalists, Cardiff Devils and Belfast Giants, face off four hours later, which means they will have less rest-time for Sunday's finale.

Meanwhile, bottom of the league Glasgow Clan, have appointed old Steelers' foe Corey Neilson as Head Coach and Head of Hockey Operations.

The Great Britain assistant coach and former Nottingham Panthers' boss returns to the EIHL after spending time in Germany, Norway and Slovakia.

The news comes as Panthers' Head Coach Jonathan Paredes informed his club he won’t be returning next season as he takes-up an opportunity in his native France, with Angers.