SHEFFIELD STEELERS had done all the hard work.

Trailing 3-0 after the first leg of their Challenge Cup semi-final against Nottingham Panthers, the Steelers were relentless in their pursuit to try and at least even the score in the second leg at the Utilita Arena on Wednesday night.

In front of a passionate 9,000-strong crowd achieved their aim., ensuring overtime was required after they beat the Panthers 4-1 on the night.

Overtime was slated for 10 minutes - if required - of 3-on-3. In the end, Nottingham only needed 25 seconds, Bryan Lemos lifting the puck into the roof of the net from in front to leave the majority of the crowd stunned as a 5-4 aggregate loss sank in.

While the Panthers celebrated in front of their loud travelling support, the Steelers were left to wonder what might have been, although they won’t be afforded too much time to feel sorry for themselves with a Friday night league trip to leaders Belfast Giants now at the top of their agenda.

“It was disappointing to not finish the job there,” said head coach Aaron Fox afterwards. “Coming into this game down 3-0 we knew it was going to be an uphill climb.

“But I thought we were ready for it and the building was alive and ready to come to life too if we could give them a reason to.

“Credit to our group, I felt we played outstanding tonight and probably deserved better than the three-goal advantage we got in regulation there.

TOUGH NIGHT: Sheffield Steelers were denied reaching the Challenge Cup Final by Nottingham Panthers. Picture: Hayley Roberts/Steelers Media.

placeholder image — TOUGH NIGHT: Sheffield Steelers were denied reaching the Challenge Cup Final by Nottingham Panthers. Picture: Hayley Roberts/Steelers Media.

“But there were some moments over this 120 minutes that ended up costing us when you just lay off for one second or make a bad play and it ends up in the back of your net.

“After the first period (in Nottingham) I felt we were probably the better team for the next 100 minutes but it is a 120-minute effort that you need and they got the job done and we didn’t.”

As requested by Fox ahead of the game, his team got off to a fast start to put the Panthers on their heels.

It took a Steelers penalty to get them going though, Patrick Watling sent to the box on a holding call before Mikko Juusola cleverly robbed his opponent on the edge of the Panthers’ zone before dashing down the middle and delaying his shot over netminder Kevin Carr from the left of the goal to perfection to fire it home at 6.46.

NOT TO BE: Sheffield Steelers' captain Robert Dowd celebrates the first of his two goals on Wednesday night - but it wasn't enough as Nottingham Panthers prevailed in overtime. Picture: Hayley Roberts/Steelers Media.

Only 20 more seconds had elapsed, however, before the Panthers hit back, Matt Greenfield beaten at his near-post by Matthew Marcinew’s blast from the top of the left circle.

It was enough to take the sting out of the home crowd but the Steelers continued to be the dominant force over the first 40 minutes, duly getting their reward with two goals in as many minutes from captain Robert Dowd.

The first saw Dowd patiently wait for the puck to break loose in front of Carr’s goal before back-handing it home to make it 2-1 at 32.57.

Shortly after good fore-checking in the Panthers’ zone saw the puck turned over, Evan Jasper quickly finding Dowd who fired his second of the night into Carr’s top left-hand corner.

The third period was less than a minute old before the Steelers pulled level on aggregate.

With Matt Alfaro in the box on a holding call, the Steelers moved the puck quickly and got their reward when Mitchell Balmas slammed an unstoppable shot low down to Carr’s best.

Chances came and went at both ends until the end of regulation, when everyone settled down to a grand finale of overtime.

But the show was over all too quickly and with the wrong ending as far as the Steelers and their fans were concerned.