Ice Hockey: Steelers to face old foes

Sheffield Steelers last night set up a Challenge Cup final date with their bitter rivals Nottingham Panthers after a penalty shoot-out victory over London Knights at Sheffield Arena.

Warren Norris fired the Steelers, three-times winners of the competition, into the final at London's Docklands Arena on 26 January with the decisive penalty shot after the game had finished 4-4 following overtime. It means they will face the Panthers in a rematch of the 1999 final. The Steelers came out on top on that occasion.

The Panthers booked their place in the final with a 3-2 victory over injury-hit Belfast Giants at the Sheffield Arena.

Lee Jinman's second goal of the game proved to be the winner 10 minutes from full-time to put Nottingham, twice runners-up, into their third final. Belfast, last season's beaten finalists, could only put 12 skaters out on the ice.