Steelers' heads held high: Belfast Giants 5-4 Sheffield (overtime)

They lost a 2-0 lead, went behind themselves at 4-3 before losing in the sudden-death extra period.

The South Yorkshire team, at least showed guts, offensive style and fighting spirit, against top class opposition.

John Armstrong put Tom Barrasso's men ahead after a move featuring Mark Matheson and Robert Dowd.

And 84 seconds later Anthony DeLuca rattled in his fifth goal in three games to make it 2-0 at the SSE Arena, for Steelers.

Backstopped by Jackson Whistle, Sheffield saw the rest of the opening period out without conceding.

Giants, who were outshot 10-14 in the first period, stepped up the pressure.

And they halved the margin when Blair Riley scored from Jim Vandermeer at 29:52.

Then, with Jordan Owens serving a slashing minor, Belfast equalised through Kyle Baun at 33:07.

Owens responded 40 seconds later though by finishing off a Josh Pitt-Justin Buzzeo for Sheffield to take the lead again.

Giants had outshot their guests an astonishing 21-4.

Sheffield now had the task of further containing the League's no 2-placed club for the last session.

But they failed to stop David Rutherford making it 3-3 two minutes in.

And at 55;05, Belfast took the lead for the first time, Riley scoring, his second, unassisted.

In true Steelers drama, Robert Dowd equalised on a 6-on-4 powerplay, with goaltender Whistle pulled, at 58;47, to send the game into overtime.

Patrick Dwyer (unassisted) won it for the Northern Irish at 63:06.