Steelers await injury news ahead of crucial Challenge Cup clash

Sheffield Steelers face an anxious wait for injury news ahead of Wednesday night’s crucial Challenge Cup meeting with Manchester Storm at the Utilita Arena.

Aaron Fox’s side need just one point from their final Group A fixture to guarantee a place in the Challenge Cup semi-finals, but they could go into the game missing several key players.

The latest concern surrounds Mikko Juusola, who was forced out of Sunday’s 6-3 Elite League victory over Fife Flyers following a knee-to-knee collision with Flyers defenceman Joseph Pierce.

Juusola required assistance from the ice after play was stopped, although no penalty was called on the incident.

Fox is now waiting for an assessment from the Steelers medical staff, with captain Robert Dowd and leading scorer Mitchell Balmas already sidelined.

“We’ll wait to see what the medical staff say,” said Fox when asked about the extent of Juusola’s injury.

The Steelers coach also admitted he was surprised the incident was not reviewed by the match-night officials.

“I don’t believe there was intent to go knee-on-knee,” he said.

“The play was on the puck, so there are four of them looking at it, and it’s hard to fathom that not one of them could say, ‘I saw something to the knee,’ and review it.

“It makes no sense that we don’t try and get the decision right. I don’t know how it isn’t reviewed.”

Juusola has been an ever-present for Sheffield this season, featuring in all 15 league and Challenge Cup games, scoring twice and also converting an important penalty shot against Guildford earlier this month.

His availability will now be closely monitored ahead of one of Sheffield’s biggest games of the season so far.

The Steelers sit on 12 points from nine Challenge Cup games, level with Cardiff at the top of Group A and ahead of Guildford and Nottingham, who have both completed their ten-game schedules on 12 points. The top two in Group A progress directly to the semi-finals.

That means taking the game against Manchester beyond regulation would be enough to secure Sheffield’s semi-final place.

Storm, meanwhile, begin the week on seven points with three games remaining and can still reach 13. They face Sheffield on Wednesday, Coventry on Friday and Cardiff on Sunday, leaving their own qualification hopes dependent on a near-perfect finish.