Sudden-death penalty hands play-off trophy to Giants

Evan Cheverie was the hero for the regular season league runners-up, scoring the decisive sudden-death penalty shot, after three 20-minute periods and 10 minutes of overtime couldn't separate the sides.

A goalless first period was followed by an explosive second when all four goals were scored. Brandon Benedict broke the deadlock at 21.21 before a powerplay strike from George Awada 10 minutes later saw Belfast double their lead.

But Cardiff – who beat league champions Coventry Blaze 6-3 in Saturday's semi-final – quickly hit back at 32.04 through Max Birbraer, who grabbed a second five minutes later to bring his side level.

Despite several chances in the third period and overtime, neither side could find the breakthrough enabling Cheverie to make a name for himself in the shoot-out, just as team-mate Jeff Szwez had done in the previous evening's semi-final when he netted to see Belfast knock out Nottingham Panthers 2-1.

Giants player-coach Steve Thornton, whose side lost the league title to Coventry Blaze by one point, said: "It feels pretty good.

"It's not a good feeling when you go into a Championship game knowing it's going into a shoot-out when you won one out of four in the league this year which probably cost us the title.

"But when you win the last game you are the team who enjoys the summer the most."

Cardiff coach Gerad Adams said: "It's such an awful way to lose, especially when I felt we deserved to win the game.

"We had a number of chances and did everything we needed to do to win. Unfortunately when a team game breaks down into an individual thing, it's a roll of the dice, it's anyone's game.

"But I am very proud of all the guys."

The Devils had booked their place in the final by beating Coventry.

Having dominated the first 10 minutes, Cardiff took a 2-0 lead with powerplay goals from Phil Hill and Matt Miller.

But Coventry hit back when Luke Fulghum claimed his 53rd of the season.

Cardiff restored their two-goal advantage with yet another powerplay marker from Miller, and Hill added a fourth.

Coventry threatened a fightback when Fulghum (powerplay) and Brad Cruikshank cut the deficit, but Jay Latulippe and Max Birbraer secured the semi-final victory.

SHEFFIELD SCIMITARS failed to make the English Premier League finals weekend in Coventry after losing out to Slough Jets 7-2 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.

Jon Rowbotham's side were always going to be up against it in last night's second leg at Ice Sheffield after losing the first leg in Berkshire 5-1.

Arran Strawson got on the scoresheet last night for Scimitars at 34.24, but it was sandwiched between two second period goals for Slough's Peter Poljacek.