Dominic Cormier says Nottingham Panthers week brings extra edge for Sheffield Steelers

Sheffield Steelers defenceman Dominic Cormier says the build-up to Saturday’s clash with Nottingham Panthers already feels different inside the dressing room.

The long-standing rivalry between the two clubs is one of the biggest in British ice hockey, and Cormier says the returning Steelers players have been making sure the new arrivals understand exactly what the fixture means.

“I’ve been here a couple of years now and played against them plenty of times, so we know what these games are like.

“Orange kind of runs Yorkshire and we’re happy to teach the new guys that there’s a lot of rivalry between the two teams.

“We’ll be ready to go on Saturday.”

With a number of new faces on Aaron Fox’s roster, Cormier believes this is the week when many of them will begin to appreciate the intensity surrounding the fixture.

“The returning guys will be telling the new guys what this rivalry really means,” he said. “Everyone is on board with it and it’s going to be an interesting game.”

Cormier has played hockey in different countries, but says the Steelers-Panthers rivalry is unlike anything else he has experienced.

“It’s a rivalry like I’ve never really played in before,” he said. “You always hear about the big rivalries in the NHL, but for our league this is definitely the biggest one there is.

“They’re always fun games to play in.

“It’s obviously great playing them at home, but when we go to Nottingham and you see all the Sheffield fans in their rink as well, that’s special.”

While the points on offer are no different from any other game, Cormier admits the occasion carries an extra emotional edge.

“Every game is about the points, but sometimes these points almost feel like they mean a little bit more,” he said. “You try to win every game, but when you see Nottingham coming to Sheffield it gets the dressing room going that little bit more.”

Saturday’s meeting at the Utilita Arena will be the first Steelers-Panthers clash of the new season.

And for several players on both sides, it will also be their first taste of one of British hockey’s fiercest rivalries.