Fife Flyers defenceman Matt Nickerson admitted to feeling real pressure as the Kirkcaldy club came from nowhere to make the Elite Leaue play-off semi-finals.
The former Dallas Stars draft pick has also revealed he had sleepless nights in the run-up to the double-header with Dundee Stars.
Now the pressure has been lifted and the 29-year-old from Connecticut is determined to bring the silverware home from Nottingham.
But there is a big obstacle standing in Fife’s way Belfast Giants, the newly-crowned Elite League champions.
The pair square-up in the first semi-final today (1pm) with Nickerson and his men ready to extend their end-of-season purple patch which has surprised many critics.
He said: “You want it so bad and it feels so good to have everybody who wants it.
“I knew if we worked hard and wanted it then we could beat any team and it is an unbelievable feeling right now.
“We made it to the play-offs. Then we played Dundee and we’ve made it to Nottingham. It’s great for us and the fans.
“Just think, in January we were dead in the water and people counted us out but we turned it around and finished seventh in the league and we’re going to Nottingham.
“There are a lot of teams who don’t want to face us right now.”
Head coach Todd Dutiaume added: “The guys have come through a heap of pressure in the last few weeks.
“If I look back at September, October and November, I brought in a Facebook and Twitter ban. Those guys were getting torn to shreds. We were not playing well and we knew it. We made one or two small changes and in mid-January I told them to go out there and enjoy themselves.
“I know it is their livelihood but I told them that if they were not enjoying it then why are they here. They have. I do not think these guys could have physically done more to get us to where we are.
“Since mid-January we’ve been on a run. I’ve been around a lot of teams but I don’t think I’ve seen a run like this before.
Dutiaume keeps stressing that Fife whipped Giants 6-2 during that late-season run though there was a 36-point difference between the sides after the end of the league season.
But the head coach continues to dream of landing the coveted play-off title to crown the club’s 75th anniversary season.
“Belfast have had a good year and have been our toughest opponent. They lost the Challenge Cup final and that would have stung a bit so they won’t want to slip up again,” he said.
“We peaked at the right time and we are a hot team going into the final four weekend. Now we have made it there is no pressure on us as we were not expected to be here.
Giants, who won the Elite League by 23 points, overcame Hull Stingrays 7-3 on aggregate but are likely to be without Great Britain international Craig Peacock through injury.
Coach Paul Adey said: “The players are itching to get out there and play. It is not going to be easy but it would be nice to finish the season in a positive way.”
Come back to www.thecourier.co.uk later for full coverage of Saturday’s semi-final.