Sheffield Steelers: Aaron Fox not looking to curb intensity of penalty magnet Brendan Connolly

Brendan Connolly is not on the Christmas card list of any EIHL referee.
Brendan ConnollyBrendan Connolly
Brendan Connolly

They don't seem to have much time for the tenacious winger who will do whatever it takes to win.

On Sheffield Steelers' roster - depleted by one after Wednesday's release of Czech goalie Pavel Kantor - "Conns" has endured twice as many penalty minutes as other team-mates...some 67 in total.

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But coach Aaron Fox admires his determination and says his 100 per cent commitment to the club is unparalleled.

"I don't think the refs like him, to be fair, I think there are some calls that Conns gets that other guys wouldn't get but because its Conns," said Fox.

Connolly was behind only Zack Fitzgerald in penalty minutes last season at Glasgow Clan and behind only Spiro Goulakos at Belfast Giants the year before.

"He has kind of created a little bit of a name for himself that way, he doesn't get the benefit of the doubt sometimes," said the coach.

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Last Sunday, Connolly picked up a minor during a Sheffield power play in the Dundee Stars' match, which was frustrating, not least because it seemed unfairly awarded, in Fox's eyes.

"The reffing isn't perfect in this League I think you have got to be careful on a nightly basis and the last four weeks he has been a lot better than in the first four, if you look at the (penalty minutes) numbers," he said.

"So it is a process..his discipline levels have been a lot better in the last month than it was the first month.

"He is just one of those guys who plays intense, we talked about it when we signed him, he plays hard he is passionate guy, he cares more than anybody and sometimes that rubs people, referees, the wrong way but I think he has made a concerted effort here the last little bit to be better."

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Last season's top penalty taker, Tanner Eberle, has been positively angelic - he has sat out just eight minutes of 17 games, so far this season.

That extra ice time has helped him become the club's top goalscorer with 10.

Steelers entertain Coventry Blaze on Saturday, hoping to gain revenge for the opening league day 6-4 home game defeat in September.

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