Flames keep lead at top with OT win

Photo: John Uwins

Guildford Flames completed a weekend double over Nottingham Panthers with an overtime win at the Spectrum on Saturday night.

After a high-paced opening to the first period, the game was interrupted after Matthew Myers was checked into the plexi glass causing it to shatter. After a 20-minute or so break, the game restarted and the Flames were the quicker out of the blocks - Ryan Tait opened the scoring with a beautiful bar-down snipe past Jack Berry at 10:01.

Panthers were level off a broken play where Jack Hopkins won the puck out of the corner, and Jordan Kelsall stabbed the puck home on the second attempt in front of Taz burman with 14:05 played.

Sam Marklund put the Flames back ahead at 27:57 after good work from Peter Crinella to drive the net, with the Swede cleaning up the rebound. However, off the resulting faceoff Daniel Tedesco was penalised for a high stick, and the Panthers responded on the resulting powerplay when Brett Welychka converted David Levin's excellent pass at 28:23.

Guildford went back ahead with 7:07 left in the period thanks to Brett Ferguson finding an open Kyle Locke in the slot for an excellent finish. The visiting Panthers were level again through Jeremy Welsh at 36:10, and while the Flames will have thought they should probably have been ahead but for some important saves from Berry, it was Burman who made the save of the period from point blank range to keep things level.

If the Flames felt unlucky to not be ahead after 40 minutes, the Panthers would have thought themselves unlucky not to have won the game in the final period. The visitors had a series of chances to take the lead, several falling to the impressive Levin who saw his penalty shot attempt come back off the post.

Both sides deservedly took a point with the game tied after regulation, and in overtime it was the Flames who took the extra one - Brett Ferguson's shot was saved by Berry but the rebound went straight in off the body of the on-rushing Marklund to win it for the home side and ensure they kept their lead at the top of the table.