Panthers Second As Conti Cup Confirmed

Into double figures of Elite League games played and Danny Stewart’s Nottingham Panthers continue to ride high in the early standings as they sit second just a point behind Sheffield Steelers with a game in hand.

Eight wins from eleven, and on a four-game winning streak, the free-scoring Panthers, led by the goals of Mitch Fossier, continues to excite more than just the Panther Nation.

A hat-trick in the recent win at Fife Flyers has seen Fossier’s early season form hit nine goals and six assists in the league, and fifteen goals/thirteen assists overall, in the Panthers’ twenty-one league and cup outings.

Having finished October with three wins and two defeats, the latter being a second overtime, 2-1 loss at home to Belfast Giants, would be the catalyst for Stewart’s stars’ current run of form.

Since then, the Panthers have been unstoppable, racking up twenty goals, keeping hold of top spot in the league as wins over Manchester Storm and Fife Flyers were bookended by successes against Coventry Blaze.

In hosting the Blaze on 1 November, the Panthers would ease themselves into a three-one lead early in the second period, Didrik Henbrant and Chase Pearson netting in the first, before Fossier netted in the opening seconds of the second, Matthew Gleason having initially levelled proceedings.

After Pearson had given the Panthers a two-goal cushion, Blaze struck back again through Grayson Constable, before third period scores by Brendan Harris and Ross Armour gave the visitors the win.

The Panthers followed up victory over Blaze with a 6-2 victory against visiting Manchester Storm, despite being without Ollie Betteridge and Finlay Ulrick, who were away on international duty.

Zsombor Garat and Bryan Lemos were both at the double for the Panthers, who, having fallen behind to a Brady Gilmour effort in the opening seconds, eased into a 4-1 lead at the end of the first period.

Matthew Marcinew was among the Panthers scorers in the first, before Tim Doherty wrapped up the scoring late in the game, Gilmour having notched his and the Storm’s second score, in the second period.

Earlier in the month Panthers’ star, Ollie Betteridge, who has his testimonial match on Tuesday (18 November) night, was named as captain of the Great Britain side that faced Poland, Italy, and Slovenia, in the IIHF European Cup of Nations, he saying ahead of four-team tournament that it was: “a huge and special honour to be named as Captain of Great Britain for (this) tournament.

“I’m thrilled to be working with two great players – Joe and Josh – on the leadership team and both of them will be important in the locker room.

“We have some great young talent with us (this) weekend and they’re the future of the national team.

“We’re excited to see many of them get their first taste of senior international hockey.”

Great Britian lost all three of their games, 5-1 against Slovenia, along with narrow results to Italy (5-4) and Poland (1-0), the Poles finishing as group winners, British players gaining valuable experience on the international stage.

Meanwhile, back home, the Panthers headed to Scotland, and Kirkcaldy, keeping up their scoring form with a 4-1 win at Fife Flyers., Fossier’s treble helping Stewart’s side to another win, and this after a scoreless, first period.

Fossier netted twice in the second period and despite Keaton Jameson halving the deficit early in the third, David Noel kept the Panthers in-front before Fossier completed his treble with the decisive fourth.

The Panthers then travelled to Coventry on Saturday gone (15 November), putting the Blaze to the sword for the second time in a fortnight, tis time winning an eight-goal thriller, 5-3, Stewart’s side again seeing five different scorers.

Noel gave the Panthers an early lead in which Armour doubled, the hosts hitting back through a deflected, Grant Mismash shot, the visitors edging the first period.

Harris put away his rebounded effort before Noel hit the bar early in the second as the Panthers looked to assert themselves on the game, before Tim Doherty (Panthers) and Colton Saucerman (Blaze) dropped gloves for some fight-action.

Fossier then added the Panthers’ fourth for a strong lead at the end of the second; Elijah Barriga gave the Blaze continued hope with their second of the night, before Kim Tallberg moved them within one score as the game headed into the final five minutes.

Home hopes didn’t last too long though as the Panthers restored a two-goal advantage less than twenty seconds later when Jarod Hilderman shot home from the right to seal a 5-3 win.

With the Panthers set to host Glasgow Clan, at the Motorpoint Arena, in the Challenge Cup Elimination Game in mid-December, there’s the small matter of nine league games to overcome before then.

The remainder of November sees the Panthers oppose Sheffield Steelers (h, 22/11), Dundee Stars (a, 23/11), Glasgow Clan (h, 28/11), and Steelers, again (a, 29/11), whilst the line-up for January’s IIHF Continental Cup tournament has now also been confirmed.

The six participants are to be split into two groups of three; (Blue Group) Nottingham Panthers, GKS Katowice, and HK Mogo, and (Red Group) Ducs d’Angers, HC Torpedo, and Herning Blue Fox.

Confirmed fixtures for the games to be played between 14-17 January 2026 is as follows –

Wednesday 14 January; d’Angers vs Herning Blue Fox (14:30), HK Mogo vs Nottingham Panthers (19:00)

Thursday 15 January; Herning Blue Fox vs HC Torpedo (14:30), GKS Katowice v HK Mogo (19:00)

Friday 16 January; HC Torpedo vs d’Angers (14:30), Nottingham Panthers v GKS Katowice (19:00)

Saturday 17 January; Third Place Blue vs Third Place Red (11:00), Bronze Medal Runners-Up Blue vs Runners-Up Red, Gold Medal Winners Blue vs Winners Red

Further tournament information, ticket prices etc can be found HERE