Panthers tie late and win in shootout

Photo: Oliver Dixon

Guildford Flames were only partially able to take advantage of Belfast Giants' loss elsewhere as they conceded a late equaliser before being defeated by Nottingham Panthers in a shootout on Sunday night.

In their blue retro jerseys, the Flames started well and duly took the lead off a nice Daniel Tedesco wrist shot with 4:26 played. Mike Hammond tied the game with a neat move at 15:32, while 65 seconds into period two a Tanner Sorenson shot deflected off the defensemen's stick to wrong-foot Eamon McAdam and find the back of the net. Tedesco levelled the scored some three minutes later as the second went on to finish all square.

Brett Ferguson finished from Sam Marklund's pass after the Panthers turned the puck over in their own zone to give the Flames the lead with 10:40 to play. However, there was late drama at the Spectrum when the Panthers, who pulled Alex Dubeau with over two minutes to go, tied the game at 58:03. 

Jakub Ižacky thought he'd won it for the Panthers in overtime but McAdam somehow got back to stop the puck looping over the line, while the Flames had a late powerplay which saw Bradley Lalonde ring one square off the post.

In the shootout it was tied at two each through five rounds, but in sudden death Niko Lahtinen scored while Tedesco couldn't beat Dubeau which gave the Panthers the extra point.