Horror show for Steel City side: Cardiff Devils 7-1 Sheffield Steelers (final score)

They were overwhelmed 7-1 at champions Cardiff Devils, the team that beat them 6-2 in Sheffield last month.

It was the club's biggest defeat of the campaign and further proof of the gulf that exists between the clubs.

The game was just 16 seconds old when Steelers conceded.

Matt Pope stunned Sheffield with an opener.

If that was a nasty surprise, worse was to follow. With the clock showing one minute and four seconds, Stephen Dixon made it 2-0.

And by 6:49 it was 3-0 to the Welsh, Charles Linglet converting.

That looked like being game over with the game not yet seven minutes old.

Sheffield coach Tom Barrasso, a goalie by trade and intuition, had seen enough.

Brad Day was called on to replace Jackson Whistle in goal.