Panthers good value for home win over Flames

Photo: Panthers Images

After a four point from three games in Scotland last weekend, the Nottingham Panthers secured a 5-2 win over Guildford at the Motorpoint Arena to cement their place in the top five.

Prior to faceoff, Matthew Myers was presented with a series of awards from the Elite League, Panthers and his parents in recognition of him playing 1,000 games in the EIHL last weekend.

His Panthers side then made an excellent start to the game. Christophe Boivin put the home side ahead 2:50 into things as he finished a well-worked Panthers powerplay goal setting off thousands of bears being aired onto the ice. 90 seconds later Robbie Baillargeon passed from behind Kevin Lindskoug's net in front to Jeremy Welsh who one-timed it past the Flames goalie to make it 2-0. 

Guildford were back into things at the halfway mark of the period, however, thanks to Ian McNulty getting on a loose puck after a scramble in front of Kevin Carr.

Boivin got his second of the game 5:08 into period two with what would be the only goal of the middle frame. He wound up from the blueline and crashed a shot past Lindskoug who was well-screened by Simon Suoranta.

8:34 into the final period the Flames turned the puck over in their own zone, allowing Ollie Betteridge to turn and slap past Lindskoug to all but end the game at 4-1. Jake Bolton forced the puck over Carr's line at 53:40, confirmed after a video review, to get the Flames back within two, but will Lindskoug pulled late on for the extra attacker Robbie Baillargeon found the empty net from his own goal line to seal a 5-2 win for the Panthers with 10 seconds to play.

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