Two goal Vallerand is on fire for Sheffield Steelers

The winger scored twice in the 3-2 midweek victory at the Braehead Arena.

It was the club's top points scorers' all-round game that Fox acknowledged, though.

"How good was Vally - I mean how good was he?" he asked, before answering his own question.

"He was exceptional.

"Not just his goals, he worked so hard all night."

Vallerand's 200-feet game saw him pop up everywhere, and his line with Robert Dowd and Mitchell Balmas was the model of consistency and an offensive threat all night.

Fox was also grateful to his penalty killers who did their job when Daniel Ciampini twice got in hot water, late in the game.

Now the coach is hoping his side can claw out another win on Saturday, in the Challenge Cup at Nottingham Panthers, followed by Sunday's league hosting of Fife Flyers.

Another "ugly road win," as he described it, would clearly suit him on Saturday.

Joint-bottom Clan had been badly in need of a first league win in four outings and showed that sense of desperation after just five minutes, when Reece Kelly scored a goal that survived a video review for a suspected kicking motion.

Sheffield hit back almost instantly, with Vallerand cashing in on a Robert Dowd-forced rebound for his 14th point in nine games.

The game was a good advert for the sport, with Gary Haden breaking clear but unable to beat Sheffield goalie Matt Greenfield and the visitors intent on shooting the puck at the excellent Antti Karjalainen's goal as much as possible.

Steelers' power play men have been high-achievers recently and while the first PP of the evening came and went for them, Vallerand claimed his second of the night, nine seconds after it had elapsed.

Momentum began to switch though when Glasgow scored an all-British, fourth-line equaliser, Alex Forbes finishing off a Robert Lachowicz move.And with 10 minutes remaining Ciampini's first penalty gave Clan their best opportunity to outgun Steelers.

Referee Toby Craig took something of an ear-bashing from Fox, although the away side killed the penalty.

Suddenly, though, Ciampini was trooping back to the box for interference. Thankfully for Fox's blood pressure, the penalty killers again did their job.

In overtime, Mikko Juusola found an ocean of space open up for him and he calmly forehanded past Karjalainen to win the game.

Clan boss Jason Morgan later congratulated Steelers on their offensive depth and speed, but said his own team was "getting there."