VIDEO: Bad blood will continue tonight at Belfast Giants v Sheffield Steelers. Fitzgerald banned for four games

Sheffield took the honours last night in a 3-2 win at the SSE Arena, in a game punctuated by bad tempered incidents and violence.

The anticipated duel saw Spiro Goulakos tangle with Colton Fretter - a personal confrontation which had been triggered by a previous meeting after which Fretter was handed a long ban for attacking the Belfast player from behind.

Friday's trouble happened after just 55 seconds and was over in a flash, with neither man able to land the right hands they'd probably planned.

Steelers' official Dave Simms said: "Goulakos was always going to go after Frets because of the perceived wrongdoing of Colton in their last game against each other.

"I say perceived because a lot of people forget the four incidents involving Goulakos previously.

"He wanted revenge in the same way Paul Beraldo once did against Corey Spring.

"Colton was always going to have to answer the bell."

Simms said the game was so physical last night that he can't see any other version of it tonight, when the two teams collide again at the same venue.

"It will be another physical battle - thered is a lot of bad blood still about. But we are on a great run and I am sure we will be ready for it."

Fitzgerald, subject of a player discipline review today, has been banned for four games after checking to Goulakos' head in Friday's game.

The League determined the incident constituted: "

• Direct contact with the opposing player’s head.

• A predatory like check

• Avoidable

• Dangerous with an intent to hurt. "

Goulakos was also banned from Saturday night's game for Checking to the Head.