Steelers have big chance of getting title if form continues, Lucas Sandström says

The Welsh are five points behind but have four games in hand.

Devils and Belfast Giants - whom Steelers visit on Friday - are on Sheffield's coat-tails and the South Yorkshire club is going to have to continue with their present form to win the league title.

Fast-improving forward Lucas Sandström is well aware of the threat posed by those two clubs as well as Nottingham Panthers, who are tied on points with Belfast.

But he doesn't seem overly concerned about the form of others.

"I think if we play like we have been doing lately, we will have a big chance of getting the title," he said.

"It is a long race, you take it day by day, game by game.

"We can't look at what they are doing, we have to play our best and see how far it can take us."

The Swede arrived in England fighting to get in shape - his appointment came as something as a surprise as coach Aaron Fox had decided to release ex NHL'er Martin St. Pierre.

Sandström has been a hard-working member of the squad since making his League debut, against Cardiff, in September.

The former Swedish U20 international, now aged 29, admits it took some time to find his feet at his new club.

He said that was nothing to do with the playing systems, more to do with his fitness.

"It was my body. I hadn't played for a long time. I didn't practice with a professional team, I just practiced with a team back home so it takes a few weeks to get into it.

"But I think I have been feeling better over the past month here and hopefully I can continue to play like I can do.

"When you get confidence back, you do more stuff offensively.

"I am not here to score a lot of goals and stuff like that, usually I want to contribute in defensive play. I think things are going alright but you always want more.”

Sandström has played against Belfast three times so far this season, scoring a goal and two assists - a fair return for a "defensive" player.

Meanwhile, injured duo Marco Vallerand and Ben O'Connor are rated at 50-50 for Friday's game in Northern Ireland.