Elite League Play-off Final: Cardiff Devils 3-1 Sheffield Steelers
- Published
Cardiff Devils beat Sheffield Steelers to win the play-off final for the first time since 1999, their maiden win in the Elite League era.
Elite League champions Cardiff lost 6-5 to the Steelers in the 2017 final, but they took the lead when Matt Pope fired in off the bar in the second period.
Pope then set up Andrew Hotham, who cut in from the right wing to score.
Eric Neiley's solo goal gave Sheffield hope, but Jake Morissette scored into an empty net to seal the win.
Cardiff shut the game down in the closing stages, despite finishing the game shorthanded, Sean Bentivoglio sent to the penalty box for roughing with just under two minutes to play.
And Morisette's goal with 17 seconds remaining ensured there would be no repeat of the heroics that had seen Steelers come back from 4-2 down in the final period against Nottingham in Saturday's semi-final.
In front of a packed crowd, which carried out an impromptu "Let's go Broncos" chant in tribute those involved in a deadly bus crash which included a junior ice hockey team in Canada earlier this week, Cardiff safely saw out the final few seconds to condemn Sheffield to a trophyless season.
Earlier, Nottingham beat Fife Flyers 8-2 in the consolation final.