Sheffield Steeldogs' lose National Cup crown while Hull Seahawks and Leeds Knights prepare for derby showdown

The Seahawks won 5-2 at Ice Sheffield, a result which, coupled with Leeds Knights’ 6-2 win at home to Romford Raiders, ensured it is now mathematically impossible for the Steeldogs to secure a top four spot and, with it, a place in the semi-finals.

Hull and Leeds now face-off in a mouthwatering clash on Sunday night in East Yorkshire where the winners are guaranteed a semi-final slot, while the losers will be left to sweat it out over results elsewhere.

Leeds now top the group on goal difference from Hull, with Milton Keynes Lightning and Romford making up a top four who are all on 14 points.

Swindon - who travel to Telford Tigers on Sunday - are in fifth one point adrift.

The odds were always stacked against the Steeldogs with them going into the weekend sat three points off the top five teams.

But they came out for the third period on Saturday full of hope after clawing their way back from a 2-0 deficit to draw level with the Seahawks.

But once Lee Bonner put Hull back in front again in the 54th minute, the Steeldogs were forced to chase the game and paid the price.

After an even opening few minutes, it was Hull who struck first, making the most of a power play opportunity when Emil Svec fired a one-timer past Shane Owen from the edge of the right circle at 8.15.

Tom Stubley then went close in the 13th minute when he was freed down the middle by Ethan Daintith, but Owen was equal to the Hull defenceman’s back-handed attempt.

It was another drive down the middle which saw Hull double their lead soon after though, Patrick Brown feeding Bonner to his left, from where his pass-come-shot seemed to take a deflection past the unfortunate Owen at 14.35.

Crucially, the Steeldogs were able to halve the deficit before the break, Jonathan Phillips’ shot on net seeming to take a deflection past Aleksanteri Heiskanen with just under two minutes remaining.

The second period failed to produce any serious threat at either end for the first 10 minutes or so, Corneil flashing one wide when teed up by Ulrick, before the latter forced a pad save from a similar position in the 28th minute.

Hull failed to make anything of a hooking call on former forward Nathan Salem but then created a number of decent scoring opportunities.

Bobby Chamberlain - back in the line-up after missing the last three weeks - fired wide, Corneil fanned on a shot when well-placed before Svec cannoned one off the outside of Owen’s right-hand post.

The Steeldogs goalie came to the rescue in the 35th minute when denying Bonner on a one-on-one before the Seahawks were made to pay for not taking their chances.

Salem’s throw on net created confusion in front and while Heiskanen was able to stop the first shot, he couldn’t stop Sommer poking the puck home the rebound from close range to make it 2-2 at 36.14.

Early on in the third, Heiskanen had to be alert to stop a deflected shot from Pelech before standing firm shortly after when Sommer drove to the net.

At the other end, Chamberlain hit Owen’s charmed right-hand post before Heiskanen was again called upon, this time to deny Nathan Ripley one-on-one.

Seconds later, the Steeldogs were behind again, Brown driving down the left before squaring the puck inside to Lee Bonner who fired past Owen.

Cody Monds then hit the Steeldogs’ crossbar in the 55th minute before the Seahawks used a power play to apply the killer touch to the defending champions, Corneil pouncing on a loose puck in front of the net before rounding an outstretched Owen to tap the puck into the empty net for a 4-2 lead at 55.46.

Owen was naturally pulled with over two minutes remaining for the extra skater, the hosts eventually paying the price when Corneil steered the puck home at 59.24 to seal a 5-2 win.

In Leeds, meanwhile, the Knights never looked back after taking a 3-0 lead inside 10 minutes against the Raiders.

Kieran Brown got the ball rolling at 6.40, Edgars Vengis doubling the hosts’ lead 57 seconds later before Cullen McLean found the net at 9.36.

But, just 20 seconds later, Romford found a quick reply from Austin Osborn and made it a one-goal game through Leo Bacallao just before the halfway mark.

But a second strike from Brown early in the third settled any nerves there may have been among the home team, Vengis doubling his own tally at 49:51 before McLean did likewise a little under five minutes later.

This time there was no response from the visitors, who need to beat Solway at home on Sunday to keep alive their semi-final hopes. Leeds need to do the same at Hull.