Tonight: Early crunch meeting between Steelers and Giants

Photo: Dean Woolley

Both the Belfast Giants and Sheffield Steelers have made good starts to the 2021/22 season, and tonight's clash in Sheffield sees the two potential league title challengers go up against each other for the first time.

Sheffield top the Premier Sports Elite League by four points, on 12, following their midweek shutout win over Fife. The Steelers have secured 75% of available points in league play so far and have only been beaten at home by Coventry and Guildford.

Belfast sit seventh but have played less games than most of the other teams in the league. On a points percentage basis, the Giants sit at 50% in the league but have been dominant in the Premier Sports Challenge cup, comfortably winning their group with seven wins from eight.

These two teams are not short of firepower or goaltending options. In Tyler Beskorowany the Giants boast the cup's strongest goalie (96.05%), while Sheffield/s Rok Stojanovic leads league goalies on 93.84%. Steelers' Barry Brust in just over 112 minutes across his last three games.

Up top, Marc-Olivier Vallerand and Robert Dowd have nine and five goals so far this season respectiely for the Steelers. The Giants have been boosted by Scott Conway's 10 in 14 games, with linemate JJ Piccinich already having added six to his season tally.

Tickets for this game can be bought here, while a webcast will be online here.