Freak football-like injury for luckless Sheffield Steeler Eric Neiley '“ out for six weeks

It is a massive blow for the player, who has iced just three times since arriving from Milton Keynes Lightning.

And it also increases the demand on coach Tom Barrasso to find player placements, with defenceman Davey Phillips out for a similar length of time.

The team boss confirmed: "He has got a hamstring injury, he will be out for a significant amount of time, what that is I don't know but it is certainly more than six weeks.

"It is unusual for hockey players, usually it's more of a groin injury but his is a true hamstring injury - just a freak accident, a one-on-one battle in practice

"Hopefully he will get healthy as quickly as possible."

As for new players, the search continues for a club that has already had 29 players on their books so far this term, six of whom having moved on at various points of the 31 domestic fixture list so far.

"We are short on bodies, that's for sure" said Barrasso.

"Both on the back end and probably up front. I liked where we were 10 days ago and then some injuries started happening and next thing you know you are not where you thought you thought you were going to be. We are going to need some help, down the road."

Barrasso said nobody had been lined up, and denied rumours that the club was interested in former Nottingham Panthers star Yann Sauve.

The coach commended Steelers' blueline warrior Ryan Martinelli, who was injured to the face by a high stick, later to return to the ice, but needed further medical checks, after Wednesday's 4-4 tie with Guildford Flames.

He is a "true hockey player with a true hockey mentality" said Barrasso.

Steelers go back to League play, hosting Coventry Blaze on Saturday.'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹'‹