Nottingham Panthers 4-3 Coventry Blaze *aot (Elite Series) 25.04.21
The Nottingham Panthers backed up their thrilling win on Saturday night with another dramatic performance in Sunday’s early Elite Series game against the Blaze.
Jackson Whistle got the start between the pipes for the Panthers opposite Shane Owen for the Blaze.
Nottingham dominated the play but for the majority of the period but couldn’t get the breakthrough they desired, failing to convert on two powerplay chances in the process.
When the Blaze got a chance on the man-advantage themselves they made no mistake, Luke Ferrara (14.23) firing an unstoppable one-timer into the back of the Panthers’ net.
It didn’t take long for Nottingham to respond though as just over 30 second later Kevin Domingue’s pass from below the goal-line found Christophe Boivin (14.57) and he smuggled the puck beyond Owen to tie the game at one.
Coventry, however, had the last say in the period when they took advantage on the powerplay once more, this time courtesy of Mike Hammond (19.24), to go into the first intermission with a one-goal lead.
It was much more of the same in the second period with Nottingham enjoying the lion’s share of the play and their pressure finally told when Ollie Betteridge (24.31) floated a pass to the front of the Blaze net where the puck was turned in by a Coventry defenceman.
Nick Dineen missed more than a few shifts after taking a stick to the face, the fourth such unpunished transgression against the Panthers during the tournament, and whilst he was getting fixed up in the Excel Therapy Treatment Room the Blaze re-took the lead.
Ollie Betteridge hit the post after dancing out from below the goal-line and as Coventry went on a rare attack in response David Clements (35.02) pinched in from the blue-line to make it 2-3 in favour of the Blaze after two periods of play.
Coventry were content to sit back on their one-goal lead throughout the period and it faired them well until Kevin Domingue (56.06) danced to the middle of the ice and fired an rocket off the underside of the bar and into the back of the Blaze net to make it 3-3.
For the second time in as many nights the Panthers went into overtime and for the second time in as many nights they sealed the extra point in the extra frame.
The Blaze went for an ill-advised line change leaving Mark Matheson (61.37) all alone in front of Owen and the defenceman found the puck in his feet and produced a stunning finish to seal the game in favour of the Panthers.
*Main image @PanthersIHC successive over time wins make it a good weekend for Nottingham.
