Cardiff Devils are ice hockey champions of Great Britain for a second successive season.7

They clinched the title with a thrilling 3-2 win against Belfast Giants in front of more than 5,600 spectators at the SSE Arena in Northern Ireland.

Andrew Hotham fired an unassisted powerplay winner with 20.9 seconds left.

Devils captain Jake Morissette was presented with the Monteith Bowl on Belfast ice – and the team posed for photographs with the trophy.

The players then posed with Devils supporters, who crowded down next to the PlexiGlass to congratulate their team.

Devils ended a 20 year wait for a League title when they were crowned champions last season and they have retained the trophy with four home matches left.

Coach Andrew Lord and his team will again be playing European Champions League hockey in 2018-19.

Their win against Belfast also struck a major blow in their quest to win the Erhardt Conference for a second success season.

Devils are now top of the Conference with a game in hand on second-placed Belfast.

Drew Paris and coach Andrew Lord were the healthy scratches for Devils, who kept Giants guessing until just before face-off.

Paris dressed, skated during the warm-up and was in the pre-match huddle before returning to the locker room.

Around 20 Devils fans made the trip to Belfast, while many more watched the live stream at Ice Arena Wales or at home.

During a fast, enthralling opening period goalie Ben Bowns made some big saves, while Tyson Strachan blocked a shot from Sebastien Sylvestre which had looked on the way in.

Strachan threw himself in front of the shot to keep the puck out. He linked with

Import David Rutherford returned from injury for Giants, who had American netminder Chris Truehl between the pipes.

Joey Martin hit Belfast’s bar before Colin Shields fired the home team ahead after 13 minutes 22 seconds to take his goals tally to 30, but it took only 41 seconds for Devils to level.

Martin broke up a Belfast move and launched a fast counter-attack. He linked with Matt Pope in a 1-2 which left Truehl helpless as Martin fired home from close in for his 28th goal of the season.

Giants had a minute and 18 seconds of 5v3 during the first period with Justin Faryna and Andrew Hotham in the penalty box, but Devils saw it off without conceding.

Pope fired Devils 2-1 ahead at 33-17 when Strachan’s lifted the puck forward and it bounced off a Giants player for Pope, who who showed great composure and control before finishing superbly with a backhand shot over the diving Truehl.

Home coach Adam Keefe was already complaining about the referees failing to give his team a penalty for tripping and he was clearly furious when Devils went ahead.

Belfast tied things up again with a beautifully worked goal scored after quality work by Brendan Connolly in the corner. He slid a pass back for David Rutherford, who shaped to shoot before picking out Spiro Goulakos for a first timer.

The shot was fierce and true, Bowns reacted and seemed to save. But he didn’t get enough on it and the puck found a way past him into the net after 37-13.

The teams were locked at 2-2 going into the third period of a fast and exciting clash.

Both teams had powerplay opportunities and scoring chances, while the tension was growing going into the last 10 minutes.

These teams are arguably the best two teams in Elite League and there was scarcely anything between them in Belfast.

Netminders Truehl and Bowns both made outstanding saves to keep the puck out.

With less than 90 seconds left Haddad found shooting space close in, but Truehl just got a touch to deflect onto a post.

Devils spent the last 53 seconds on a powerplay and Hotham struck the decisive goal, scoring with 20.9 seconds left.

Belfast called a timeout and pulled goalie Truehl, while Devils faced a mini penalty kill with five seconds left.

Joey Haddad was sent to the penalty box, but he was soon out to join the celebrations.

Giants won the Challenge Cup at Ice Arena Wales and Devils returned the compliment at the SSE Arena.

That feeling of elation will stay with them, while the boos from Giants fans at the end, apparently aimed at refereeing decisions, were unfair and unsporting.

Those Giants fans let their club down on a magnificent night for the Welsh club.

Match stats:

Giants: Colin Shields 1+0; Spiro Goulakos 1+0; Steve Saviano 0+1; David Rutherford 0+1; Brendan Connolly 0+1.

Devils: Joey Martin 1+0; Matt Pope 1+1, Andrew Hotham 1+0.

Period scores: 1-1; 1-1 (2-2); 0-1 (2-3).

Shots on goal: Giants (on Bowns) 17+13+11=41; Devils (on Truehl) 11+14+16=41.

Penalties in minutes: Giants 0+8+4=12; Devils 6+6+4=16.

Powerplays: Giants 0/6; Devils 1/6.

Referees: Tom Darnell and Stefan Hogarth.

Attendance: 5,613.

Stars of the game: Giants,Chris Truehl; Devils, Matt Pope.