Sheffield Steelers’ coach Tom Barrasso takes Glasgow Clan defeat on the chin...for the third time

Tom Barrasso isn't one to conceal his own failings.
Robert Dowd is foiled by Glasgow Clan's defence on WednesdayRobert Dowd is foiled by Glasgow Clan's defence on Wednesday
Robert Dowd is foiled by Glasgow Clan's defence on Wednesday

On Wednesday night, he admitted that he must not have prepared his Sheffield Steelers' team well enough for the match against Glasgow Clan, which they went on to lose 1-6.

And it turns out to be the third time the American has said the same about himself, regarding losses to Clan.

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After both the 5-2 loss on December 5 and the 3-6 loss on December 23, Barrasso accepted on Clan club video interviews that the team had either been "not prepared to play" or  were "poorly prepared."

Barrasso was too distracted by Wednesday's appalling performance to enter the team's dressing room that evening, saying he would discuss his feelings with the skaters the following day.

Steelers’ owner Tony Smith axed three players when the team lost by the same score, to Dundee Star on January 13, but Barrasso said  this time: "This will fall on me, as far as a response to the team."

The coach accepted his players were second-best when it came to one-on-one battles, with Glasgow: "They clearly out-competed us. It is one of the things we talked about before the game, probably the most disappointing part of it is to be outworked. We are going to have to focus on that."

Robert Dowd is foiled by Glasgow Clan's defence on WednesdayRobert Dowd is foiled by Glasgow Clan's defence on Wednesday
Robert Dowd is foiled by Glasgow Clan's defence on Wednesday
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And Barrasso did not hide behind the injuries to Mark Matheson and Tanner Eberle.

"The guys that are in the line up with the uniforms on are responsible for Sheffield Steelers hockey and we didn't do a very good job. We have got 10 more (games) after this. Our focus is very singular in that we are trying to get into that play off weekend and we are trying to get ourselves into the top eight.

"We have got 20 points left to play for but we have got to compete a lot harder than we did.

"We are a team that has come off a good stretch of hockey, I don't think we have to blow up our roster and start from scratch.

"But we do have to get refocused and re-energised for the weekend; it's a very important weekend for us."