New fan record about to boost Sheffield Steelers' title bid

If the ice hockey club attracts more than 6,000 fans - and they were not far short of that on Friday morning - they will create an Elite League record of 12 consecutive games where they attracted at least that number.

It is a milestone for Sheffield, but the main objective is four points from two teams above them, Belfast Giants (Sat) and Guildford Flames (Sun.)

Steelers were boosted on Thursday night when the third rival for the title, Cardiff Devils, slipped up 2-1 at home to Manchester Storm.

The Welsh are two points ahead of Sheffield, in third place, but have now played two more games.

With other results favouring Aaron Fox's men recently, and with the illness bug subsiding, Sheffield are now revving up for a nine-game full-throttle assault on the EIHL trophy.

Their chances of success will doubtless be influenced by the form of Matt Petgrave.

Having a defenceman on top of the list of scorers at your club isn't always a good look.

But with Petgrave in the team, it's probably not that surprising.

The Canadian blueliner topped the points tally for league and Challenge Cup at the end of February and currently remains top with 13 goals and 44 assists, ahead of forwards Daniel Ciampini, Martin Latal, Brett Neuman and Robert Dowd.

The 31-year-old, who was the third top scorer at Slovakian outfit HK Spisska Nova Ves last season, says his successful haul is due in part to the role played by forward players, who feed him the puck and obscure the opposing goalie's vision.

"It's fortunate for me to get the right bounces, to be honest," he said.

Forwards are "doing their jobs and working hard screening goalies out front.

"It shows the balance we have, the scoring. It is not just a couple of guys getting the goals" he said and predicted that would be beneficial going down the stretch to the playoffs.

Petgrave is under no illusion about the importance of the game against leaders Giants.

"We have only played them four times (three losses) but there had been tight games previously" he said.

"They are obviously a very good team over there but we have a very good team over here."

There would be a better Sheffield team dynamic once the sickness bug had totally disappeared, he added.

Marco Vallerand and Kevin Schulze are hoping to be available this weekend.

Petgrave also praised Tomas Pitule for his attitude when he came back last Sunday after being scratched from the roster the night before.

"The amount of work he puts in...he is always the hardest one to break the puck out against in practice, he is always working hard he is always in the mix.

"He is kind of really annoying to play against and he is the same player in the game."

Petgrave said he was sure that Pitule was upset about being scratched, but to play like he did against Manchester Storm with "fire and desire...we are lucky to have a guy like that."

The 36-game AHL performer said he loved playing in Sheffield and enjoyed the club's "organisation from top down."

As a footnote, in league-only games, Daniel Ciampini is Sheffield's top points scorer with 43 points in 42 games.

Scott Conway, of Belfast, leads the league with 77 points in 44 games.

Last year Vallerand was Sheffield's top point scorer in the league with 59 in 45 games.