GLASGOW CLAN have been eliminated from the Challenge Cup after a 4-0 defeat to Sheffield Steelers last night.
The loss meant the Steelers went through in the semi-final tie 9-1 on aggregate.
Zack Fitzgerald’s side were always going to be up against it in Sheffield after losing the first leg 5-1 a fortnight ago but the return of Craig Moore and netminder Patrick Killeen to action was a welcome sight for the travelling fans.
However, Sheffield, who are currently top of the EIHL, were too strong for the Braehead side, running out comfortable winners.
Clan head coach Fitzgerald was disappointed about the loss but was encouraged at the fight his men out up against a side who are in a far more comfortable financial position than the Clan.
“Playing against a team with probably double our budget, I think even-strength hockey, we’re right there with them,” said Fitzgerald.
“We can out-play that team at times and it’s unfortunate that we couldn’t find ways to get in the inside and score the goals we needed.
“We got the saves we needed, we just didn’t penetrate enough and be threatening. We needed a few but it just didn’t happen. We were a bit snake-bitten.”
Fitzgerald will now turn his attention back to the league, with their next fixture at home against Dundee Stars on Saturday evening.
The Clan were top of the league earlier in the season but a poor run of form, which has seen them lose six of their last seven league games, has seen them drop to seventh position in the EIHL.
However, Fitzgerald is confident his side can rediscover their form and potentially grab a spot in the play-offs come the end of the season.
“That chapter (of the Challenge Cup) is done now – we’ve got 16 games left in this league and it’ll be a dogfight for a play-off position so we’ve got to find our feet and play,” he said.
“We need to take it one game at a time and hopefully get a run going to reach the play-offs, that’s the focus.”
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