Sheffield Steelers denied Challenge Cup Final spot by Fife Flyers in dramatic circumstances

Then, in the space of seven minutes, the wheels came off.

Trailing 3-2 from the first leg against Fife Flyers in Kirkcaldy last month, the Steelers were 5-3 ahead on aggregate having raced into a 3-0 lead on the night inside 15 minutes on home ice.

Brett Neumann broke the deadlock and quickly levelled the game overall after just 72 seconds thanks to good work by Matt Petgrave.

A high-sticking call on Chris Gerrie then put the Steelers on a four-minute powerplay where it took just shy of 90 seconds for new signing Calle Ackered to make his mark for his new club when he smashed a slapshot past Shane Owen at 13.02 to put the host ahead on aggregate.

Brendan Connolly then tipped Marc-Olivier Vallerand's shot past Owen at 14.33 after Mikael Johansson's tripping minor put the Flyers down to just three skaters.

There seemed little threat until it became a one-goal game on aggregate again when Jonas Emmerdahl struck at 47.49 to throw the visitors a lifeline.

Just 40 seconds later, they were level overall, through Mikael Johansson’s well-taken breakaway which saw him finish through Matt Greenfield's five-hole, the visitors then getting ahead when Lucas Sandström struck on the power play at 54.04, with Brendan Connolly on a hooking call.

It looked like Steelers were going to be denied in regulation but, with just 18 seconds remaining, Danny Kristo threw them a lifeline when he levelled at the back post to make it 6-6 overall.

A goalless overtime period followed, but the Steelers were edged out in the subsequent shoot-out when Johansson became the first to score in the fifth round of shots, booking a first-ever appearance in the Challenge Cup Final for the Scottish team.