Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers warmed up for their Challenge Cup final with vital victories in the Superleague.

Steelers beat Bracknell Bees 4-1 at the Sheffield Arena to stay top, but Panthers' 3-2 overtime win over London Knights kept them level on points.

In Sheffield, goals from Kent Simpson and captain Marc Laniel gave the hosts a lead and Warren Norris added number three before Jonathan Deslisle got Bees on the board.

However, Rick Brebant completed the scoring and Steelers' Scott Levins and Darren Hurley of Bracknell then received five-minute majors for fighting.

Nottingham stayed hot on the heels of their bitter rivals with a thrilling triumph to ruin Jim Brithen's first game in charge of London.

Former Panther AJ Kelham scored his first goal for Knights to separate the two teams at the end of the first period, before Briane Thompson levelled on the powerplay.

Mark Koleser, another ex-Panther, restored London's lead, but the hosts pegged them back again thanks to Jason Clarke's 11th goal of the campaign.

The game went into overtime and, just 57 seconds into the added session, Thompson took advantage of Rick Bronilla's hooking penalty to fire the winner for Panthers.

Sheffield and Nottingham now turn their attentions to Sunday's Challenge Cup final - a repeat of the 2000 showdown - at the MEN Arena in Manchester.