First period goals from David Goodwin, Donovan Neuls and Steven Owre see Belfast Giants race into 3-0 lead
Matthew McLeod increased the Giants lead to 4-0 in the second period
Jonas Emmerdahl and Janne Kivilahti score for the Flyers in the second period to make it 4-2
Ben Lake restores the Giants' three goal lead with the home side's fifth as they lead 5-2 at the end of the second period
Goals from Flyers' Janne Laakkonen and Giants' Ciaran Long inside the opening minute of the third period moved score to 6-3
Mark Cooper and Grant Cooper added two more goals in the third period to increase the Giants lead to 8-3
David Gilbert scored the home side's ninth of the game to make it 9-3
Belfast Giants 4-1 Fife Flyers
Kamerin Nault has a wrap around chance that Tyler Beskorowany makes a big save on, Puck bobbled for Nault but still, Besko had to dive to stop it.
Belfast Giants 4-1 Fife Flyers
Fife are on the scoreboard. Poor defensively from a Giants point of view as they failed to clear the puck and it broke to Jonas Emmerdahl who fired it past Tyler Beskorowany from the right circle - little purple patch of pressure for Fife
Belfast Giants 4-0 Fife Flyers
Giants score again on the powerplay. The puck bounces off the backboards and Matthew McLeod is quickest to react to poke it home. Again the officials review for goalie interference - goal stands
Image source, Press EyeMcLeod scores
Belfast Giants 3-0 Fife Flyers
Here we go again for the second period. Fife have to try and get back in the game but that could leave themselves open at the back and the Giants are the sort of team to make you pay...BUT the Flyers came from 3-0 down after the first period in Sheffield in the semi-final so they've done it before.
Big 20 minutes coming up
Image source, Press EyeFirst period action
Belfast Giants 3-0 Fife Flyers
What might have happened had the Flyers Mikael Johansson not hit the post early on. From the moment David Goodwin scored seconds later the Giants have been in control. It's a final going with form but certainly not over yet but Fife need a big start to the second period.
Image source, Press EyeGiants Scott Conway
Belfast Giants 3-0 Fife Flyers
Staev Owre drives the net, fans on the shot but keeps control of the puck and tucks it in.
It's a little lucky but the Giants will take it.
Image source, Press EyeSteve Owre scores
Belfast Giants 2-0 Fife Flyers
Giveaway by the Flyers leads to a 2-on-1 odd man rush and Gabe Bast sets up Donovan Neuls perfectly and he finishes well - 2-0 Giants - officials review play for offside - Goal stands
Image source, Press EyeDonovan Neuls celebrates Giants second goal
Belfast Giants 1-0 Fife Flyers
Mark Cooper sits for hooking so after killing the Giants penalty Fife have the opportunity now - Tyler Beskorowany makes a big save
Belfast Giants 1-0 Fife Flyers
First man advantage of the game goes to the Giants after Grant Cooper hits the post
Image source, Press EyeDavid Goodwin celebrates
Belfast Giants 1-0 Fife Flyers
Seconds after Mikael Johansson hits the post for Fife the Giants go up the other end and Scott Conway sets up David Goodwin who fires the puck past Shane Owen
Image source, Press EyeBelfast Giants celebrate their opening goal
Belfast Giants 0-0 Fife Flyers
Strap yourself in, after the pre-game fireworks the action is underway here in Belfast
Will the Giants win the Challenge Cup again or is it to be the Flyers night?
Mascots Munroe and Finn ready for the puck to drop - just 10 minutes to face-off
Image source, Press EyeMonroe and Finn - friends before the game
Belfast Giants fight back to stun Cardiff Devils
Last year's Challenge Cup Final was also held here in Belfast and was a classic as the Belfast Giants overturned a 2-0 third period deficit to tie the Cardiff Devils 2-2 before Ben Lake scored the overtime winner...
Giants stun Devils in 2022 Challenge Cup final
G Tyler Beskorowany
D Gabe Bast
D Sam Ruopp
RW Steve Owre
C Scott Conway
LW David Goodwin
The Belfast Giants are favourites to win tonight but they will not be taking Fife lightly. The last two times they have won the Challenge Cup it has propelled them to the Elite League title as well and currently they have a four-point lead in the title chase.
But that won't be on their mind tonight - it's about having another celebration on the ice if they win the Challenge Cup again.
Giants see off Flames to reach challenge cup final
G Shane Owen
D Jonas Emmerdahl
D Christian Hausinger
RW Zack Phillips
C Mikael Johansson
LW Janne Kivilahti
Are the Fife Flyers a team of destiny in this season's Challenge Cup? Well after shootout wins over Dundee in the quarter-finals and coming from 3-0 down in the semi-final second leg against Sheffield to send the game to another shoutout that they won who knows, this could be their year.....
Flyers beat Steelers in shootout to reach final
Good evening everyone and welcome to the SSE Arena in Belfast for the Elite League Challenge Cup Final between the Belfast Giants and Fife Flyers.
It's a full house of over 7,300 who are arriving, the game has been sold out for days.
The Giants earned home advantage by being the number one seed in qualifying and then they defeated Nottingham in the quarter-finals and Guildford in the semis.
Tonight they look for a fourth Challenge Cup title from the last five occasions the competition has been completed with the break for Covid in between.
The Flyers are the oldest professional ice hockey side in the UK – founded in 1938
Fife’s last trophy was Northern League title (and playoffs) in 2010-11 - the season before joining the Elite League and this is their first cup final since then.
Over 600 fans have made the trip from Kirkcaldy and the atmosphere is building to what will be a special night.
Fife came out of the same group as the Giants and then beat Dundee in the quarter-finals and shocked Sheffield in the semis. Both ties were won in a shootout.
Image source, BBC SportBelfast Giants v Fife Flyers