Dundee Stars secured their first major trophy when they edged Braehead Clan to clinch the Gardiner Conference.
The Tayside team now have an unassailable lead in the six-strong division, which also includes Edinburgh Capitals, Fife Flyers and Hull Stingrays, despite having four games to play.
The conferenceis named after Charlie Gardiner, the Edinburgh-born netminder who captained the Chicago Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup in 1934.
Mike Ward, one of Stars’ directors, said: “This is a big moment for the club and reward for the effort the guys have put in all season.”
Winning the Conference includes a bonus for Dundee will now be seeded No 2 in the Elite League play-offs. That means Dundee will play the team which finishes seventh in the quarter-finals.
Ward added: “That should provide an easier game but you never know in ice hockey as the league has proved this year that there is not much between the teams.”
Last night, Stars, with Great Britain coach Doug Christiansen behind the bench for the first time at Dundee Ice Arena after joining the club on Saturday, broke the deadlock through defenceman James Isaacs after 24 minutes.
Experienced Ed McGrane levelled four minutes later but Dundee’s assistant captain Billy Bagron scored short-handed to make it 2-1 after 36 minutes.
And Dundee closed out the game when Russian-born assistant player/coach Nikita Kashirsky scored 10 minutes later.
Once again, Dundee’s highly-rated Dan Bakala was the busier netminder, dealing with 27 shots, while his opposite number Kyle Jones had 19 shots.
Stars had lost 3-1 at Coventry Blaze on Saturday. Matt Francis netted two goals in just over two, third period minutes last night to end brave Fife Flyers’ challenge at high-flying Nottingham Panthers.
The Kirkcaldy club led 2-1 after 24 minutes but four straight goals in the final period from the home side secured the points.
Earlier, David Clarke opened the scoring after 15 minutes on the power play for Nottingham, the reigning Elite League champions.
Fife shocked home fans with a quick-fire double early in the middle session. Jordan Fulton levelled after 23 minutes also on the power play and Matt Reber put the visitors ahead 2-1 two minutes later.
But Leigh Salters started the slide by levelling 1min 49sec into the final session. Matt Francis scored the go-ahead goal two minutes later and netted his second two minutes after that.
Robert Lachowicz finished the scoring with an empty net goal less than two minutes from time after Fife gambled by withdrawing their netminder to give them six skaters.
Flyers had moved above Cardiff Devils and into the final play-off spot thanks to an 8-3 demolition of rock-bottom Edinburgh Capitals before nearly 2,000 fans on Saturday.
It’s the first time since November 17 last year that Flyers have occupied higher than ninth in the standings. And the Rosslyn Street side took charge from the start, skating into a 3-0 lead at the end of the opening period.
They did not relinquish their grip and Matt Reber finished with a glory treble and Ned Lukacevic set up four goals in a night when rising star Josh Scoon netted his first of the season.
Flyers outshot their opponents 46-19 and it was scant consolation for Capitals that their third goal was the club’s 600th scored on the road in all EIHL competitions.