Elite League: Belfast Giants win title with two games to spare

The Belfast Giants have won the Elite League for a record-equalling fifth time after a dramatic win away to Sheffield Steelers.

Mark Cooper gave the Giants an early lead only for Tanner Eberle to equalise in the second period for the Steelers.

With no further scoring after regulation and then overtime, the game was decided on penalties.

Scott Conway was the only player to score with the 12th attempt of the shootout to secure the title.

The victory means the Giants have clinched the championship with two games to spare, securing a league and cup double, and their fifth title matches the record set by the Steelers.

Adam Keefe becomes the first head coach in Giants' history to win two league titles and, with the Covid pandemic leading to the previous two seasons being abandoned, Belfast effectively retain the trophy they won in the 2018-19 season.

The Giants made the perfect start on their first power play of the contest. With the Steelers' Marc-Olivier Vallerand called for hooking, Cooper scored in the second minute of the game with a clinical finish at the back door.

Belfast netminder Tyler Beskorowany ensured his side went into the first interval retaining their lead, making an unbelievable close-range stop from Martin Latal when the Steelers forward had looked certain to tuck home a rebound just before the break.

The Steelers then caught the Giants cold right at the start of the second period, Eberle equalising in the first minute by scoring from the top of the right circle with a smart finish over Beskorowany's shoulder high into the corner of the net.

Sheffield almost scored again with a little over two minutes left in the contest but the puck didn't quite cross the line as Beskorowany's goal was lifted off it's moorings, with several players from both sides sprawled across the crease. The officials reviewed the incident but were satisfied that there was no goal.

The game finished one-all in regulation and so went to sudden death overtime and with no further scoring in the extra five minutes, the game proceeded to a penalty shootout.

The two sides had failed to convert five each when Armstrong saw Sheffield's sixth stopped by a high glove save by Beskorowany. Conway then scored with the Giants' sixth attempt to secure the win and the two points needed to claim the League title.