Cardiff Devils are EIHL Playoff champions — and they had to earn it

For much of the second period, the Motorpoint Arena felt like it was tilting Sheffield's way. Cardiff were pinned back, Kevin Tansey had just levelled, and the Steelers were pressing for a lead. Then Nolan Yaremko scored at 38:32. Then he scored again at 39:57. Ninety seconds of hockey, and the final had turned on its axis.

Cardiff Devils are EIHL Playoff champions for the fourth time, finishing the job with a composed 5-2 win over Sheffield Steelers on Sunday evening. It is their first playoff title since the 2021/22 season Pro Hockey News — and the first major prize of Paul Thompson's debut campaign in charge at Cardiff.

Sheffield handed an early mountain to climb

The game's defining moment of misfortune arrived almost before it had begun. Mitchell Heard was penalised for high-sticking at the red line just a minute in, catching Kohen Olischefski and drawing blood. Britishicehockey The video review confirmed a double-minor, and Sheffield found themselves two men down while still finding their feet on the ice.

Cardiff made no mistake. Strong passing in the offensive zone saw Brandon Estes find Olischefski at the left circle, where he fired past the blocker of Matt Greenfield to open the scoring at 2:41. Pro Hockey News

Sheffield pushed back hard for the remainder of the first period, forcing Christian Stoever into a series of point-blank saves. Britishicehockey The score remained 1-0 at the interval, but the Steelers had shown enough to suggest this was far from over.

A frantic second period that went Cardiff's way

Sheffield applied heavy pressure early in the second, including a shot from Evan Jasper that rang off the bar at 22:40. Britishicehockey The persistence eventually paid off. Tansey picked up a behind-the-net pass from Samuel Tremblay and fired a tight-angle shot past Stoever to level at 22:52. It was 1-1, and the Steelers had the momentum.

What followed was a spell of sustained pressure from Sheffield that Stoever handled brilliantly. And then, with barely two minutes left in the period, Yaremko struck. Gleason Fournier and Evan Mosey set him up at 38:32 to restore Cardiff's lead. Before Greenfield could properly reset, Yaremko was through again — Cole Sanford this time with the assist — to make it 3-1 at 39:57. Two goals in a minute and a half, and suddenly Sheffield faced a two-goal deficit heading into the final period.

Depth was the difference in the end

Ryan Tait pulled one back for Sheffield at 53:25, scoring through a screen with Samuel Tremblay picking up another assist Britishicehockey — a remarkable contribution from a player who had left Saturday's semi-final assisted by medical staff after a knee injury, and who had moved gingerly through the warm-up on Sunday. Tremblay's effort on the night said a great deal about the Steelers' character.

But it wasn't enough. Sheffield had two fit centres to work with by the time of the final. Britishicehockey Thompson, by contrast, had the luxury of rolling four healthy forward lines. Britishicehockey The gap showed in the closing stages. When Greenfield was pulled for the extra skater, Cardiff had the legs and composure to finish it off — Josh MacDonald converting into the empty net at 58:23, assisted by Olischefski, before Olischefski added a second empty-netter at 59:31, assisted by Tyson Helgesen.

Final score: 5-2. The trophy was heading to Wales.

Thompson's first title — and a place in Europe to come

Brett Ferguson, who spent seven seasons at Guildford Flames without landing a championship, was among those celebrating. Pro Hockey News "That's what Sheffield do — they're never out of the fight," he said. "We were telling each other on the bench that we've got this, just stick with it and keep it going. Anywhere you can win a trophy is an incredible feeling."

Stoever made 23 saves Britishicehockey across a performance that was decisive in keeping Sheffield's second-period pressure from shifting the scoreline. The American goaltender was Cardiff's steadying force when the game was at its most open.

For Thompson, it is the perfect start to his time at Cardiff — a playoff title in his first season, with more to come. The IIHF Continental Cup awaits in 2027 Britishicehockey, giving the club and its supporters something to look forward to before a ball has even been dropped next season.

For Sheffield, the questions will come in the close season. The talent has been there all year. The depth hasn't always kept pace.

Cardiff Devils, though, are champions. And after last year's heartbreak in the final, that means everything.

Result: Cardiff Devils 5–2 Sheffield Steelers 

Scorers: CAR — Kohen Olischefski (Estes) 02:41 PPG; Nolan Yaremko (Fournier, Mosey) 38:32; Nolan Yaremko (Sanford) 39:57; Josh MacDonald (Olischefski) 58:23 ENG; Kohen Olischefski (Helgesen) 59:31 ENG SHE — Kevin Tansey (Tremblay) 22:52; Ryan Tait (Tremblay) 53:25

Goalkeepers: CAR — Christian Stoever (23 saves) SHE — Matthew Greenfield

Penalties (notable): Mitchell Heard (SHE) — double-minor high-sticking, 01:00; Mitchell Balmas (SHE) — slashing, 42:54