Win for Sheffield Steelers but Aaron Fox hits out at officials

Steelers went clear at the summit of the EIHL with a 6-4 win, but had defenceman Davey Phillips ejected for a check from behind.

Separate Storm representatives said it was an "appalling" hit and "textbook wrong."

Fox didn't argue with the punishment on the GB skater but said the officials should have been more even-handed.

They failed to show the same reasoning when Tanner Eberle and Jonathan Phillips were hit in dangerous circumstances, said the coach.

"You won't see me argue and complain about penalties we take," he said. "It is the penalties that we don't get in return.

"I am just looking for some consistency and that's it. If you are going to make calls on us, make the same calls the other way. That's all I care about."

He said he found it "hard to believe" the number of power plays that had come his team's way, generally, during the 2021 tournament.

His criticism won't go down well with the EIHL, but it will chime with the Sheffield fans who watched the game on the web.

Overall Fox said he thought his team was a "hard team to handle in the offensive zone" and was pleased how the offensive defencemen were contributing on the scoresheet.

The coach also had words of praise for Josh Waller, the Brit forward who was fulfilling his promise.

"He has fit in really nice, I like to have my wingers with pace and it's been awesome for him."

And he backed Sam Jones who displayed some immediate aggression to a Storm player when Tanner Eberle was hit.

"I loved it, it showed character. You need guys who will stick up for their teammates and there are a bunch of guys in the room that are willing to do that.