The Fife Flyers will face the Belfast Giants in the 2023 Challenge Cup Final on Wednesday 1 March, after eliminating the Sheffield Steelers in a semi-final shootout at the Utilita Arena.
Fife produced an incredible third period comeback to stun the Steelers on their home ice, with goals from Lucas Sandstrom, Jonas Emmerdahl, and Mikael Johansson making the difference in the return fixture.
“It’s all about character,” said Flyers head coach Todd Dutiaume. “It shows serious character to come back from three unanswered goals in a hostile building with 9,000 fans. I thought we adjusted well in the second period and fought back well in the third. I’m pleased for the boys, they’ve had an injury-hit season, but we’re going to the Challenge Cup final.”
Challenge Cup Final: Shane Owen, Fife Flyers (Image: Flyers Images)
Defeat in the semi-final is a bitter pill to swallow for the Steelers, who will now turn their attention to an intense title race in the Elite League.
“We obviously had a great start to the game to go ahead 3-1 on aggregate after the first period,” said Sheffield head coach Aaron Fox.
“We probably lost it in the second period, even though we didn’t give anything up. We had an opportunity to step on their throats and put the game out of reach, but we took our foot off the gas, didn’t bury the chances we had, and there were plays in the third period that changed the outcome.”
It was also a massive week for the Guildford Flames, who bounced back from a 6-1 loss to title rivals Belfast with a 5-2 win over the Cardiff Devils.
“It was the perfect road game for us,” Dixon said of Guildford’s win in Cardiff. “We needed a performance like that because we fell apart in the second period of the midweek game against Belfast, it was very unlike us. We knew that this would be such a tough fixture, but I’m delighted. It was a real solid effort all round, everybody played their part, and it’s a huge two points for us.”
Fife Flyers advance to Challenge Cup Final:
Tuesday, 14 February 2023:
- Glasgow Clan 3-4 Cardiff Devils
- Nottingham Panthers 0-2 Belfast Giants
Wednesday, 15 February 2023:
- Coventry Blaze 4-3 Manchester Storm
- Guildford Flames 1-6 Belfast Giants
- Challenge Cup Semi-Final: Sheffield Steelers 4-4 Fife Flyers (SO)
Challenge Cup Final: 2023 Fife Flyers (Image: Flyers Images)
Saturday, 18 February 2023:
- Manchester Storm 3-2 Dundee Stars
- Sheffield Steelers 1-0 Fife Flyers
- Cardiff Devils 2-5 Guildford Flames
- Belfast Giants 8-0 Glasgow Clan
Sunday, 19 February 2023:
- Belfast Giants 6-1 Nottingham Panthers
- Glasgow Clan 2-6 Manchester Storm
- Dundee Stars 1-4 Cardiff Devils
- Guildford Flames 5-4 Coventry Blaze (SO)
- Fife Flyers 0-1 Sheffield Steelers (SO)
National League, Latest Scores:
Midweek Fixtures:
- Sheffield Steeldogs 3-2 Leeds Knights (OT)
- Raiders IHC 2-5 Leeds Knights
Saturday, 18 February 2023
- Raiders IHC 4-2 Hull Seahawks
- Swindon Wildcats 3-2 Bees IHC
- Leeds Knights 9-3 Telford Tigers
- Bristol Pitbulls 4-5 Basingstoke Bison
- Milton Keynes Lightning 11-2 Sheffield Steeldogs
Sunday, 19 February 2023:
- Basingstoke Bison 1-4 Leeds Knights
- Bees IHC 5-0 Bristol Pitbulls
- Hull Seahawks 1-2 Raiders IHC
- Peterborough Phantoms 4-5 Milton Keynes Lightning
- Sheffield Steeldogs 1-5 Swindon Wildcats
