The Sheffield Steeldogs travelled to Leeds for the first leg of the Cup Final and produced a battling performance in a tightly contested encounter.
The Steeldogs made the perfect start, opening the scoring at 02:44 when Joonas Larinmaa found the net, assisted by Emil Oksanen and Bair Gendunov. However, momentum was slowed at 09:27 when David Phillips was penalised for high sticking.
Early in the second period, Ben Morgan was called for delay of game at 22:08, followed by further penalties to Bair Gendunov at 26:30 and Nathan Ripley at 27:04 as Sheffield were forced to dig deep defensively.
Leeds were penalised at 29:27 for slashing and again at 32:35 for hooking, and the Steeldogs capitalised at 30:46. Cole Shudra converted on the power play, assisted by Joonas Larinmaa and Gendunov, to extend Sheffield’s lead.
In the third period, Leeds pushed back. Samuel Cooper was penalised for boarding at 44:37, but the Knights found a breakthrough at 51:56 when Jonas Bennett scored, assisted by Finley Bradon and Owen Sobchak, narrowing the deficit.
Ivan Björkly-Nordström was penalised for slashing at 48:13 as the pressure mounted, and the game built to a dramatic finish.
With just 15 seconds remaining, at 59:45, Oli Endicott was penalised for throwing a stick, resulting in a penalty shot. Gendunov stepped up and converted a sensational penalty shot goal at 59:45 to give the Steeldogs a crucial 3-1 lead heading into the second leg.
Brady Parker got the Man of the Match award after another solid outing between the pipes!