Video - Sheffield Steelers 6 Cardiff Devils 5 (OT2): Steelers show their resilience to clinch epic finale

Sheffield Steelers and Cardiff Devils had battered each other into near-submission over 94 absorbing minutes until Levi Nelson picked up the puck in the middle of the ice at Nottingham’s National Ice Centre.

He took a few quick steps towards the Devils goal before firing high past Ben Bowns to finally bring an end, in the second period of overtime, to a titanic struggle in front of 7,300 fans.

Nelson’s stunning strike meant the Steelers had landed a fifth Elite League play-off title, meaning only 2,000 or so of those fans went delirious once his shot hit the back of the net.

“That was just two great teams going at it and a great advert for how far this league has come,” said Steelers’ head coach Paul Thompson. “It was a phenomenal hockey game and they’ve had a fantastic season have Cardiff and they are deserved league and Challenge Cup winners.

“But we are made of strong stuff as well and we didn’t want this season to just fizzle out and I’m so very proud of the boys. I just kept telling them to believe.”

To say Thompson’s players had won it the hard way is something of an understatement – and not just yesterday afternoon.

Last weekend saw them overturn a three-goal first leg deficit against Nottingham Panthers on a thrilling night in Sheffield which saw them win 5-1 on the night and 7-6 overall. Then, on Saturday, regular-season runners-up Belfast Giants stood in their way of reaching the final, but, again, the Steelers found a way to emerge 2-0 winners.

They saved the best for last though. Trailing 3-1 after the first period, most Steelers fans could have been forgiven for fearing the worst – Cardiff having proved their team’s nemesis throughout the campaign. Andrew Lord’s side had come into the weekend chasing a grand slam – hoping to add a play-off trophy to the league championship, Challenge Cup and Erhardt Conference titles they had already lifted.

The Steelers had other ideas.

An explosive start saw both teams get on the scoresheet inside four minutes. An early flashpoint arrived in the shape of John Armstrong who, for the second week running, found himself involved in a collision with a netminder, just 36 seconds having elapsed when he crashed into Bowns in the Devils goal under pressure from a Cardiff defender. Guillaume Doucet fired past Ervins Mustukovs through a screen for the lead at 2.20 on the powerplay.

But Armstrong was quick to hit back for his team just 92 seconds later picking up a loose puck near the halfway point before bearing down on Bowns and firing a rocket over the Rotherham-born netminder’s left shoulder.

Both goalies were kept busy but the Devils began to take control towards the end of the period, their pressure paying off when Joey Haddad broke from the edge of the Devils zone before cutting inside and firing high past Ervins Mustukovs.

It got worse for the Steelers, however, when – with Guillaume Desbiens in the box on an interference call – Joey Martin doubled the Devils’ lead at 19.17, finding himself alone in front on the powerplay. Whatever was said at the break – harsh or otherwise – clearly had an effect. Within five minutes it was a one-goal game when Geoff Walker’s speculative shot eluded Bowns then, 90 seconds later, a piece of magic from Colton Fretter saw him dance his way towards Bowns before poking home.

Another powerplay opportunity saw the Steelers enhance their prospects t 28.45, when Nelson was in the right place at the right time to tip a Mathieu Roy shot past Bowns. The joy of Steelers’ supporters only lasted four minutes, Layne Ulmer levelling for the

Devils.But the scoring wasn’t over, Walker reacting quickest when Markus Nilsson fanned on his shot to put the Steelers ahead for a second time before Bowns could rest himself.

But, less than a minute into the third, th Devils again levelled when Andrew Hotham’s pass deflected in off Davey Phillips’s skate and through Mustukovs’ legs whole the Devils enjoyed a 4-on-3 powerplay. Remarkably, given all that had gone before, that is how it stayed until the end of regulation.

Jonathan Phillips and Fretter came closest for the Steelers while at the other end, Mustukovs had to be alert to deny Haddad and Patrick Asselin hit the right-hand post from just a couple of feet out, at a tight angle.

Both sides came out for the first period of 5-on-5 sudden death overtime intent on finishing the job as quickly as possible, with plenty of chances in at both ends. But both goalies were unflappable, with Bowns the busier of the two.

The Yorkshireman had to be alert to deny John Armstrong right in front, but the video review was needed to judge whether the Devils netminder had indeed denied Markus Nilsson. He had and with Fretter denied again shortly after, another 20 minutes of overtime was required.

As the clock ticked down to five minutes remaining, it looked as if another 20 minutes would be required too – Bowns again producing a couple of stunning saves. That was until Nelson picked up the puck on the halfway point before skating on to fire high over the goalie’s left shoulder and bring an end to a truly memorable battle.