Giants book second final against the Phoenix

SCOTLAND'S Colin Shields' sparkling double booked Belfast Giants place in the Knock-out Cup final, as his side came from behind to claim a 4-1 victory over Cardiff.

 The scores were tied at 3-3 after the first leg but the Northern Irish side proved too strong for their Welsh opponents and will now face Manchester in the final in a repeat of this afternoon's Challenge Cup final.

It was the hosts who took the lead early on, as Mike Pripch found the net with less than two minutes on the clock.

The visitors were quick to respond however as Shields bagged his 30th and 31st goals of the season on six and eight minutes.

And in a busy opening period the Giants extended their lead through Mike Burgoyne before Paul Deniset added a fourth late on.

Back in the league the champagne remains on ice for the Sheffield Steelers as the runaway league leaders slumped to a 4-2 defeat to Nottingham.

Johan Molin opened the scoring for the hosts in a cagey opening period before the visitors and Jame Ferrara out the Panthers two to the good only Steve Munn to reduce the arrears.

But Nottingham, in front of the biggest of the season, had the bit between their teeth and race into a 4-1 with strikes from Molin and Brendan Cook, with Brad Cruikshank pulling one back for Sheffield.

Edinburgh Capitals boosted their play-off hopes with a thumping 9-2 win over Newcastle Vipers that saw the Scots 7-1 up after the opening period.

Brad Bonello notched a quick-fire hat-trick, while Adam Stefishen, Martin Cingel, Sean Perkins and Taylor Christie also found the net.

Jeff Hutchins had pulled one back for the Vipers but got their second through Derek Campbell but two late goals from Stefishen wrapped up his hat-trick and an emphatic victory.

Elsewhere, the Basingstoke Bison slumped at home to their 22 loss in a row with  4-2 defeat to Coventry Blaze with Erik Hjalmarsson netting twice for the visitors.

And a late four-goal blitz by the Manchester Phoenix helped them to a 6-1 win over the Hull Stingrays who still have work to do if they are to reach the play-offs.