Dave Matsos feels his players could provide an upset

Sheffield Steelers will hope to make British ice hockey history this weekend by becoming the first UK side to win a Continental Cup final.

They will play three games in three days in Grenoble against champions from France, Austria and Belarus.

Head coach Dave Matsos told BBC Radio Sheffield he knows his side are rank outsiders in the tournament.

"It could work in our favour. We are the lowest-ranked team but I think our players respond well to that," he said.

The Steelers schedule sees the weekend get progressively harder after Friday's game against the hosts Grenoble.

On Saturday they face second seeds Salzburg and the favourites Junost Minsk on Sunday.

LISTEN ONLINE AND LIVE ON BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD Friday, 15 January, Steelers v Grenoble 1900 GMT (FM) Saturday, 16 January, Steelers v Salzburg Red Bull 1500 GMT (Online only) Sunday, 17 January, Steelers v Minsk 1400 GMT (1035AM)

"I think the game against Grenoble will be the biggest game for us, because as the tournament progresses I think we will come into our own," Matsos continued.

"If we steal the win on Friday we can just ride the wave of momentum through the weekend."

He is also looking forward to going head-to-head with highly respected former National Hockey League head coach Pierre Page, who is now in charge of Salzburg Redbull.

"I have been watching this guy on TV since I was young, he is a really big name in North America. To beat this guy I am going to have adjust to him through out the game to try and figure out a way to beat him."

The Steelers won all three games of their semi-final group in Italy in a weekend that concluded with a nail-biting penalty-shot victory over the hosts for the South Yorkshire side.

Defenceman Scott Basiuk missed the games in Bolazno and is looking forward to putting the knowledge he got from watching the last round to good use in France.

"I hope to use what I have seen over the last four months whilst I have been injured.

"Obviously it is a lot faster when you get out there, but you hope everything has been processed and you can react to it.

"I feel pretty good and so conditioning wise I should be alright as long as I get enough food after the games."

Forward Joey Talbot believes that three fixtures in three days will suit the Steelers more than the other teams in the competition because they are used to the heavy workload.

"You never go into something like this thinking you can't win so we are confident.

"If we play our game anything is possible. We don't mind three games in three nights because we do it on a regular basis, but because the other teams don't it might wear and tear on them."

Although the bookies suggest that a Steelers Continental Cup win is unlikely, Dave Matsos has warned the hockey world to write his side of at their peril.

"I honestly believe we can win it, you might call me crazy, we will have to see how they will adapt to our systems, in the last round especially the Slovenian side struggled to deal with the way we play.

"Just being in the final brings huge prestige to British ice hockey and if we were to go all the way that would be massive for the sport in the this country."

You can hear all of the games on BBC Radio Sheffield

Friday, 15 January, Steelers v Grenoble 1900 GMT (FM)

Saturday, 16 January, Steelers v Salzburg Red Bull 1500 GMT (Online)

Sunday, 17 January, Steelers v Minsk (1035AM)

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