Manchester Storm defenceman Dennis Busby has told of the togetherness of the team and how it’s helping them pick up some great character wins.

They showed it again in Sunday’s 3-2 overtime win over Belfast Giants and hasn’t been the first time Manchester have dug deep to pick up points.

And Busby says buying in to the coach’s systems has also been a key factor as maintained their top half place in the standings.

“I think the biggest thing is how close this group is,”

he said.

“We genuinely enjoy playing for each other, and that goes a long way when games get tough. 

“It’s also easy to buy into what coach Critch and the rest of the staff are building here.  

“Overtime wins are always exciting, and sometimes stressful, like it was on Sunday, but we’ve found a way to be successful this year in overtime and shootouts.”

This week sees Sheffield Steelers come to town in Saturday’s home outing, with the Storm Shelter set to be a sell out again as tickets fly out the door.

Busby says the layout of the building can give them the advantage, but won’t get too carried away about the way things have been going for the team.

He added:

“Home ice is a huge advantage for us. With our ice being smaller, plays can happen quicker and we’re used to playing in that environment. 

“We’ve certainly found a way to use it to our benefit and make it uncomfortable for visiting teams and while there’s still a lot of hockey left to be played, so our focus is on playing our way consistently. 

“We like the direction we’re heading in and want to continue to be in the hunt to climb the leaderboard.”

By: Craig Anderson