Sheffield Steeldogs Matt Bissonnette targets positive run to avoid playing NIHL National catch-up

The South Yorkshire team went down 5-3 at home to Milton Keynes Lightning on home ice on Sunday but remain hosts for this Saturday’s clash against second-tier newcomers Solway Sharks (7.30pm).

The Sharks who host Jason Hewitt’s team on Sunday, arrive also looking for their first win of the campaign having lost out on opening weekend by the same 4-2 scoreline at home to Telford Tigers and on the road to Raiders.

The Steeldogs will have some idea what to expect having faced-off against the Sharks during pre-season, winning 4-1 in Dumfries before losing out 4-2 the following night at Ice Sheffield.

“They (Solway) are good, we know they are good,” said Bissonnette, who scored twice in the defeat to the Lightning.

“We’ve got a home and away with them this weekend and we’ll look to put in a better performance at home and then we’ll go to Solway.

“We need a four-point weekend, you can’t let games slip this early on because they all add up at the end of the year.”

Steeldogs’ owner Tony Smith, meanwhile, has announced a new head of prospects and development for the club in Stevie Weeks, who last season was head coach of NIHL North One outfit Sheffield Scimitars and the Sheffield Ice Hockey Academy Under-16s team.

Weeks will oversee the Steeldogs’ Prospects programme which has identified local talent over recent years, enabling youngsters to train up with the senior team.

“As part of our commitment to developing younger talent, we have agreed to continue the prospects camp as often as possible during the 2023-24 season,” said Smith.

“Stevie knows Sheffield players well and will use his local knowledge to identify players who he thinks may one day make national or elite level players”.

“This is the start of a long road ahead that we are determined will succeed. We will identify talent and we will then work with it at all levels to ensure that we find quality players for both the Steelogs and Steelers.”