Mixed Weekend For Panthers

The Nottingham Panthers had to deal with a mixed bag of results during their league home double header at the weekend against the Dundee Stars on Saturday and then the Belfast Giants on Sunday.

Saturday’s game started off frustratingly as a puck destined for Ryan Bednard pad took a wild deflection off of Alex Tonge’s skate to give the Stars the lead.

The Panthers enjoyed great success scoring two goals in eight seconds to take the lead, first from Reid Stefanson then being followed up from some quick skating off the face off by Didrik Henbrant.

Dundee started the second period off fast as Great Britain international Ben O’ Connor would tie the game up 90 seconds into the period.

From there it was the Scottish side that ran away with the game as Kameron Kielly, Drydn Dow and Keanu Yamamoto all added to the score sheet to give the visitors a 5-2 heading into the final period.

Despite their best efforts the Panther’s wouldn’t be able to get anything past Stars netminder Richard Sabol as Dundee we see the game out comfortably.

After Saturday’s game Panthers Head Coach Danny Stewart didn’t think his side did enough and they would have to bounce back Sunday against Belfast.

Nottingham ended the first period on Sunday the same way they did the day before with the lead after scoring twice, the first coming Hugo Roy on the first powerplay of the night then a penalty shot goal by Kristoff Kontos.

At the halfway stage of the game Belfast would finally strike the net as Ben Lake grabbed his second goal of the season, this halving the Panther’s lead going into the final 20 minutes.

A frustrated Giants side started giving up penalties to the Nottingham advantage Grant Mismash  would be given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty following Ben Lake being given a minor penalty for hooking.

The Panthers capitalized on the five on three powerplay as a back door play to Tim Doherty beat Jackson Whistle.

The Giants returned to four skaters but Nottingham wasn’t done yet as they would score their third power play goal of the game at the hands of captain Sam Herr.

The double header at the Motorpoint Arena concluded with Reid Stefanson sending the puck down the ice into the open Giants net as they put out their sixth skater to try and pull the game back in the final moments.

Panthers Head Coach Danny Steward praised his team in the way they bounced back on Sunday following Saturday’s tough defeat, describing the character his team showed.

Nottingham will look to bounce back once more as they head up the road to Scotland on Saturday night as they will attempt to get revenge on the Dundee Stars before returning home for their penultimate Challenge Cup group game against the Manchester Storm.

A win on Sunday would guarantee the side a spot in at least the cup play-ins against the runner up in Group B.

*Article provided by Dylan Pick (Ice Hockey Correspondent).

*Main image @PanthersIHC Fiery action between the Panthers and Belfast on Sunday.

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