Leeds Knights celebrate adding play-off trophy to league title but Sheffield Steelers fall at Elite League's last-four hurdle

In fact, but for a few mad minutes in Peterborough last month, Ryan Aldridge's team could have been celebrating a treble in Coventry on Sunday night.

But that would just have been a touch greedy, wouldn't it?

A 5-4 win over a determined Raiders IHC team was by no means easy, but, save for a couple of wobbles, it was a fitting conclusion to a remarkable second season for the organisation.

Leeds came out of the blocks flying and before four minutes had elapsed had got themselves 3-0 ahead.

Archie Hazeldine was the man to break the deadlock, found by Jake Witkowski on the left boards from where he fired through traffic and past an unsighted Ethan James with just 67 seconds gone.

Before the Raiders – 5-4 winners over Sheffield Steeldogs in the previous day's first semi-final – had had time to settle down from that early blow they were hit again at 2.40 when Kieran Brown won possession in the neutral zone, found Zach Brooks on his left, the Canadian quickly switching the puck to Cole Shudra in centre ice, from where he was left with a simple finish.

Just under a minute later, Matt Haywood got in on the act after his quick hands deceived James, who over-committed to his right to leave the veteran centre with an empty net to tap the puck into.

But an already crazy opening few minutes wasn't finished, when Matthieu Gomercic fired past a slightly unsighted Sam Gospel to make it 3-1 with just 4.40 gone.

Two more goals were to arrive before the first intermission, Kiran Brown getting on the board from the top of the right circle at 8.53 from a Shudra feed, only for Aaron Connolly to force the puck home from close range through Gospel to make it 4-2 at 11.10.

By comparison, the second period was a quiet affair, the flurry of goals not surprisingly difficult to maintain.

The next one to arrive came from the stick of man of the match Shudra on the power play at 26.06, although it quickly became a two-goal game again when Brandon Ayliffe replied with a goal on the man advantage for the Raiders just over a minute later.

Chances came and went at both ends during the third and Leeds were made to endure a nervous last five minutes when Jake Sylvester made it a one-goal game at 54.54.

But Leeds held on, giving their supporters another memorable night to treasure, from a season packed full of such moments.

The day before, Leeds had edged out Telford Tigers 7-6 in their semi-final, while Sheffield Steeldogs' hopes of retaining their post-season crown faltered when a last-minute strike from Alex Roberts sealed a 5-4 win for Raiders.

Sheffield Steelers missed out on the Elite League play-off title after letting a two-goal lead slip in their semi-final against Cardiff Devils.

Robert Dowd and Scott Allen put the Steelers 2-0 ahead inside 13 minutes, although Cardiff halved the deficit through Trevor Cox at 12.58.

The game wasn't level, though, until Ben Davies struck at 53.23, the tie being decided in overtime by a poor play strike from Jake Coughler at 62.07.

Aaron Fox's team ended the season on a winning note, however, when goals from Niklas Nevalainen (2), Allen, Dowd, Brett Neumann, Calle Ackered and the retiring Jonathan Phillips gave them a 7-4 win in the third-fourth place play-off against Nottingham Panthers.