Panthers make it 4 in a row on home ice

Photo: Panthers Images

Nottingham Panthers logged their fourth straight home win with a comeback victory over Cardiff Devils, ending the Welsh side's 12-game winning streak in the process.

Both sides lead in the opening period, but were pegged back to see the opening 20 minutes end all square. A little over two minutes had been played when Justin Crandall's shot took a wicked deflection off Brandon Alderson's skate to wrong-foot Rok Stojanovič and put the Devils ahead early. Didrik Hendrandt and Stephen Anderson combined beautifully on a 2-on-1 to set up the former for the tying goal at 5:09, while just 28 seconds later Logan Neilson burried Westin Michaud's feed in front to put the hosts ahead. Cole Sanford's shot was tipped in front by Joey Martin to tie the game with 5:18 left in the first.

2:41 into period two, Jamie Arniel tipped a Marcus Crawford shot home to put the Devils back ahead, before making it 4-2 at 29:15 with a spin on a loose puck to shoot it past Stojanovič to give the Devils a two-goal advantage. Crucially for the hosts, Anthony Luciani put home a rebound with 23.7 seconds left in the period to bring the Panthers back to within one.

The Panthers then turned the game in less than four minutes late in the third. Hugo Roy beat Tyler Wall high from a tight angle at 50:52 to make things all square again. Then, with 5:24 to go, Joe Hazeldine's shot from the point found its way past Wall through a screen to put the home side ahead. The goal was initially waived off but given after the official conferred about their on-ice decision. Devils Head Coach Pete Russell was ejected for his protests about it

The visitors played the final 92 seconds with six skaters, but couldn't find a trying goal.