Nottingham Panthers 2-3 Guildford Flames (Elite League Playoffs Quarter Final 2nd Leg)
Nottingham Panthers were eliminated from the Premier Sports Elite League Playoffs on Sunday afternoon as the Guildford Flames took the win on the night & in the tie by one goal after a 4-4 draw in Surrey yesterday.
Kevin Carr got the start in goal for the Panthers opposite Kevin Lindskoug for the Flames.
Nottingham got off to a dream start when Christophe Boivin (5.01) capitalised on a Flames’ error to beat Lindskoug with a neat finish in tight but it didn’t take Guildford long to tie things back up, Levi Cable (7.58) forcing the puck over the line on the doorstep.
The Panthers were given a route back to the lead when Guildford took an ill-advised holding the stick penalty but couldn’t make the visitors pay and the teams went in to the first intermission as they began the game, level on aggregate score.
A successful kill of a Flames’ powerplay to start the second period, assessed late in the first to Christophe Boivin, should have given Nottingham momentum but they found themselves back on the penalty kill when Edwin Hedberg was called for high-sticks.
Nottingham did, however, kill that penalty and once again took the lead when Jeremy Welsh (28.20) tapped home on the doorstep from Boivin’s feed.
A checking-to-the-head penalty to Kyle Locke (31.55) once again gave the Panthers a route to a two-goal lead but they couldn’t take advantage & went into the third holding their slim one-goal lead in the game & in the tie on aggregate.
Hard work by Boivin earned the Panthers another powerplay opportunity when Jamal Watson (47.29) was sent to the box but once again the Flames’ penalty killers stood firm & kept the home side at bay.
Guildford grew into the game the longer it went on & Turner Ripplinger (55.31) tied the game up inside the final five minutes before Cable (57.11) broke the hearts of both Panthers’ players & fans with a late dagger.
Nottingham pulled Carr in favour of the extra attacker & did have chances to tie the game but, as on many an occasion this season, came up short and found themselves eliminated from the Premier Sports Elite League Playoffs.
*Main image @PanthersIHC action from what is now Panthers last game of the 21/22 campaign.
