Panthers primed to put a dent in the Steelers

The bitter rivalry between Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers continues when the two meet in the Challenge Cup final in Manchester tomorrow.

It is likely to be a highly charged encounter with both clubs out to grab the first part of a potential double. The teams are locked together in first place in the Superleague, the Steelers having the slight edge with a superior goal difference, but they are also in the middle of a dreadful injury crisis.

Chris Szysky will miss the final with a groin tear and Sheffield's top scorer Rhett Gordon has damaged knee ligaments. Gordon's absence is a huge blow - he was Ayr's matchwinner in last year's final and has been an outstanding signing for the Steelers.

To add insult to injury, the Sheffield wing Brent Bobyck (arm) and tough defenceman Dion Darling (concussion) are also both doubts for the match and, though they are more than likely to be in uniform, they may not be risked by the Steelers head coach Mike Blaisdell.

"With a name like Darling you've got to be tough," said Blaisdell. "He's an all-round force and we would really like to see Dion out there but I just don't know.

"The amount of injuries we are getting just makes me feel sick. We can be one hell of a hockey team when we are healthy."

The lengthy injury list has meant that Rick Brebant will defer groin surgery until after the final.

Panthers expect to be at full strength - Dody Wood and the captain John Purves return after missing the midweek defeat at Belfast - and will look to Greg Hadden to continue his run of eight goals in six matches .

The loss in Belfast was Nottingham's first defeat in seven games but their record against Sheffield is not so good, with only one win in six league games this season and losses in all five of their previous meetings in finals.

The referee Nigel Boniface could be in for a busy afternoon as encounters between the teams rarely pass without incident and have frequently descended into all-out brawls.

Sheffield have players capable of looking after themselves, but Nottingham have outdone them after a summer recruitment drive that was regarded with some amazement elsewhere in the league. The Panthers coach Paul Adey, a former goal poacher, has constructed a team that can never be described as in his own image, bringing together some of the league's most feared enforcers to join the notorious Barry Nieckar, the league's most prolific penalty-taker.

Dave Whistle of Belfast and the former London coach Bob Leslie have both accused Nottingham of playing "goon hockey". Leslie observed: "Whenever we go to Nottingham we usually have to leave a couple of guys behind in hospital."

Perhaps the anticipated roughness, together with liberal use of the word "hatred" in pre-match exchanges between the clubs, has helped advance ticket sales, which have already reached 8,000.