National anthems at Challenge Cup final among Anthony DeLuca's season highlights with Sheffield Steelers

But the hair on the back of the French Canadian's neck stood on end when the national anthems of Wales and England were played before March's Challenge Cup final.

Not every ice hockey import buys into the British culture.

Yet the musical compositions ringing out before the Sheffield Steelers v Cardiff Devils showdown turned out to be not only a great motivator, but one of DeLuca's finest memories of last season.

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DeLuca has time to think back at those moments, as he and his Steeler team-mates await a start date to season 2020-21.

When the action re-starts, the club hopes to improve on last year when they landed the cup, courtesy of that win over Devils.

The winger said cup final day had been a "wild" experience but says: "The moments that spring to mind would be the national anthem before the game...I don’t get nervous for games but the mix of emotions and atmosphere was just something I didn’t expect when I first came over to the EIHL.

"The highlight game of the season for me was that cup final. The atmosphere in that arena was surreal.

"That was a game that everyone stepped up and brought everything to the table. The mix of emotions and just how big of a game it was for sure puts that one at number one."

DeLuca said the agonising final face off in that game "seemed to last 10 minutes."

While winning the silverware and the explosive atmosphere was the season-high, the skater has fond memories too of the night he scored seven points in a game against Manchester Storm in December.

"That seven point game was something I never expected to do in pro hockey. Our line was flying the night, it felt like every time we were on the ice we were creating a grade A scoring chance."

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DeLuca added that playing with Marco Vallerand and Brendan Connolly "was a lot of fun. It was such good chemistry and was created pretty quickly. Once we understood all three of each other's game it was easier to execute at a higher speed because we were all on the same page and three of us are creative offensively."

All three forwards have committed to another season at Sheffield.