Win means nothing for Steelers as Panthers lift Cup

It was always going to be an uphill struggle for Ryan Finnerty’s team after losing the first leg 4-1 on home ice two weeks ago at the Motorpoint Arena.

But, for just over 30 minutes at the National Ice Centre on Tuesday night, the improbable seemed possible as goals from Lee Esders and Steven Goertzen took them to within one goal of their hosts overall in the second leg of the final.

But Bruce Graham halved the deficit with a powerplay strike for Nottingham at 30.10 to make it 5-3 on aggregate and, ultimately, there was to be no way back for the Steelers.

Despite winning on the night, it will have mattered little for the Steelers’ players and coaching staff, bringing the curtain down on a second successive campaign without silverware and coming just two days after an earlier than expected exit from the play-offs at the hands of Coventry Blaze.

There have been calls from some fans for head coach Finnerty to be replaced since the defeat to Paul Thompson’s team over two legs and it remains to be seen over the coming days and weeks how owner Tony Smith decides to respond to an ultimately disappointing campaign.