Giants crowned champions as Cardiff fall at final hurdle
The Belfast Giants had to endure a tense wait on Sunday to see if they had done enough to claim the Elite League title, after playing their final game a day earlier.
Adam Keefe's side beat Dundee Stars 6-4 in Saturday's game, seemingly leaving it all in the hands of the reigning champions Cardiff Devils.
The Giants were top of the table, but Cardiff had a game in hand and it all came down to the result of their clash with Coventry Blaze.
The Devils were the clear favourites to take the win and secure their third league title in a row, but the Blaze were out to upset the odds and stun their opponents.
That set-up a somewhat surreal scenario, whereby the Giants players and fans were gathering in a Belfast hotel for the team's annual end-of-season awards night as that game played out in Coventry.
The Blaze took an early 1-0 lead and still led by that slim margin at the end of the opening period, but no one in Belfast was writing off a Cardiff comeback.
Then Coventry doubled their lead in the second and that spark of hope burned a little brighter.
Cardiff pulled a goal back, leaving them trailing by just one going into the final 20 minutes of action, only for Coventry to be awarded a penalty shot - but Thom Flodqvist was denied by the framework.
With Cardiff desperate to find an equaliser, they pulled goalie Ben Bowns late on for the extra skater, but it was the Blaze who capitalised.
Ben Lake bagged an empty-net goal on his home ice in Coventry, but it was arguably in Belfast that the loudest cheers rang out.
The Blaze ran out the 3-1 winners, effectively handing the league title to the Giants - who, surrounded by their fans, erupted in celebration.
It makes for a dramatic twist in what has been a thrilling season and gives Belfast their third trophy - adding the league success to their victory in the Challenge Cup and their securing of the Erhardt conference.
The Giants had trailed by 11 points in the league in January, but came good to finish tied on 92 points with Cardiff - taking the title thanks to more regulation wins.
All in all, the Giants racked up an impressive 45 wins out of 60 games.
But a Grand Slam would only be complete if the Giants can now forge ahead in their Playoffs campaign.
In another twist, they will actually face Coventry in their bid to make it to the final weekend, with the home leg to be played at the SSE Arena this Saturday.
In the meantime though, more silverware seems particularly fitting, given that the Giants will see one of their most successful ever players retire at the end of the season.
The organisation confirmed on Saturday, following that final win of the regular season, that it will retire the jersey of Colin Shields.
The esteem in which the Scottish-born forward is held was clear when he received a standing ovation from fans - hundreds of them holding up banners with his name and number 19 on them.
His many accolades include trophies with the Giants, international gold medals with Team GB, and having broken the all-time leading scorer records for them both.
Now, Sheds can bow out having helped his side to yet another league title.