Showstopping pre-game as Fife Flyers fans flock to Challenge Cup final in Belfast

A capacity crowd at the SSE Arena in Belfast saw a six-minute long build-up complete with pyrotechnics.

It preceded the game between Fife Flyers and Belfast Giants, and ramped up the atmosphere before the puck drop.

The game may have been in a midweek slot, but that didn’t deter an estimated 700 fans from making the journey from Fife, and they made themselves heard throughout the game.

The match ended in a 9-3 defeat - the trophy has been the sole guard of the league’s big arena teams since its inception - but the fans made the most of the occasion and their travels to Belfast.

Watch our video and enjoy the big game pre-show.