“We have to out work other teams, thats the most important thing”
Ryan Tait says the Sheffield Steelers must stick together, learn from a frustrating weekend and make sure two overtime defeats against Fife Flyers do not become anything more than an early-season setback.
The Steelers were beaten 2-1 after overtime on both Saturday and Sunday, first at the Utilita Arena and then again in Kirkcaldy, with Tait admitting there was understandable disappointment within the group.
But the forward, known for his upbeat personality and positive outlook, says the key now is to avoid dwelling on what has gone wrong and instead focus on improving.
“I think the important thing is that we have to stick together,” said Tait.
“That’s hard when guys are down after a weekend like that, and we all felt it.
“But hockey is a game where you have to learn from your mistakes, you have to grow from them and you can’t dwell on them.”
Tait believes the coming week of practice will be important as the Steelers look to sharpen areas of their game before another big weekend.
“We have to come together, work hard this week, listen to Foxy and work on what we need to improve,” he said.
“The opportunities are there for us. We just have to capitalise on them, learn and keep growing as a team.
“It’s still early days, but we know we need to turn the ship as soon as possible.”
The Steelers now turn their attention to another important weekend, with a league game against Glasgow Clan and another opportunity to respond after the double disappointment against Fife.
Tait insists confidence within the dressing room remains strong because the players know what the group is capable of producing.
“There is frustration, for sure,” he said.
“We all have expectations of ourselves as individuals, but also as a team.
“We know, as a collective group, how good we can be.
“But nothing is given to you, especially in this league. The league is too good and every team is strong.
“You have to come together as a team and continue to grow.”
For Tait, maintaining a positive mentality is just as important as correcting the technical parts of the game.
“We have to stay as upbeat as we can,” he added.
“If we let it dwell, it is only going to get worse.
“So we have to learn from it, grow and work hard. That’s the most important thing.”
And while every player has their own personal standards and expectations, Tait believes Sheffield’s route back to winning ways is simple.
“We all have individual expectations of what we expect from ourselves, and that is natural in sport,” he said.
“But if we execute what we need to do, execute the systems, play together, communicate and stay positive with one another, good things are going to come.
“It all comes from our work ethic.
For a Steelers side still in the early stages of the season, Tait’s message is clear: stay together, stay positive and keep working.
Aaron Fox in Star Today
