As weekends go it was one to forget for Nottingham Panthers who were comprehensively thumped at both Manchester in the Challenge Cup on Friday night, and at home against Coventry on Saturday.
The opening match of the Challenge Cup was a one sided affair with Panthers down two to the Storm within the opening twelve minutes of the first period with Jesper Orvhall netting and Joe Hazeldine scoring against his old team before Brett Welychka halved their hosts deficit to one with his first Nottingham goal.
A big second period however had Storm not just restore their two goal advantage, but add to it with goals from Herrmann and Johnson, the latter via a power play, and as Panthers chased late on in the third by pulling their netminder, Tyson Fawcett scored in an empty net to ensure a 5-1 rout gave Manchester their first two group C points of the campaign.
In the Elite League on Saturday night, things went even worse for Nottingham at the Motorpoint Arena.
Coventry ahead by three in a disastrous first period, before adding three more in an equally monstrous second for the away side who were dominant from the off.
Mike Hammond did score late on but couldn’t stop his side from a heavy defeat. The Panthers going down 6-1 as their opponents hit top spot in the league standings.
Improvement to be made, this new side put together by Gary Graham needs time still to gel of course, the unenviable task of Sheffield Steelers next awaits, where Head Coach will be looking for a much improved performance against the old arch-enemy in the Challenge Cup on Saturday.
*Main image @adamgouldson action as Nottingham were well beaten by the Blaze.
