Steelers are celebrating their first league title in five years
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Sheffield Steelers have won the Elite League after a 4-1 win at Newcastle, combined with Hull beating Coventry.
Head coach Dave Matsos told BBC Radio Sheffield: "This is truly the proudest moment as a coach, probably beyond as a player, it is truly gratifying.
"It's really special, I can't even put words on it."
Joey Talbot, who scored to put Steelers 2-1 ahead, said: "We came back from last year thinking we had a goal in our mind and we accomplished it."
Matsos' side had to wait for news of Hull's 4 -1 win at Coventry before being confirmed champions.
Having lost to Nottingham on Saturday, the Steelers needed Hull to beat fellow title contenders Coventry to avoid the title race going into another week.
And the Steelers got their first league title in five years with goals from Robert Dowd, Talbot, Ashley Tait and Jeff Legue.
Goalscorer Talbot was full of praise for his team mates: "I've been on a lot of championship teams and there is no-one closer as a team than these guys."
Steelers coach Dave Matsos hailed it as the greatest moment of his career
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Thousands of fans waited until midnight to congratulate the team as they arrived back at the Sheffield Arena.
Matsos was appreciative of the support they received back in Sheffield: "In Sheffield we have this incredible tradition that when we win we head back to the Arena to share it with the fans, even if it is at midnight on a Sunday evening in freezing conditions.
"We hopped on the bus and headed home and I guess that's when it started to sink in, we are the best, we are champions."
The Championship trophy will be presented to the Steelers this coming Saturday at their home game against Newcastle Vipers (face-off 1900 GMT).
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