Devils top Panthers in crazy game

Photo: James Assinder

Cardiff Devils gave up a three-goal lead in a cray game against Nottingham Panthers, which they eventually won in a shootout after the teams split 12 goals through regulation and overtime.

The Devils couldn't have asked for a better opening period, or at least for the first 18 minutes of it. Cole Sanford capitalised on a giveaway to open the scoring with only 62 seconds played, with with 2:48 on the clock Ben Davies picked up the puck in the slot to beat Rok Stojanovič. Ryan Barrow made it three on a rebound after Jamie Arniel had set Evan Mosey through on Stojanovič and the Devils were flying. A hit behind the play with just over two minutes left in the period saw Chad Pietroniro called a major for Boarding, while he and Jordan Kelsall took Fighting majors for dancing in the aftermath - that additional major on Pietroniro saw him ejected from the game. Alexander Lunsjo shot through traffic to get the Panthers on the board with 64 seconds left in the opening the period.

Otto Nieminen pulled the visitors back to within one 1:15 into the second, but Sanford re-established the Devils' two-goal cushion two minutes later. Goals 1:45 apart then draw the Panthers level as Ollie Betteridge and then Nieminen both beat Ben Bowns who was pulled for Tyler Wall after the equaliser. Brandon Alderson put the Devils back ahead with 3:02 left in the period.

Stephen Anderson finished off Didrik Hendrandt's pass to tie the game shorthanded 8:20 into period three, Nieminen then made it a hat trick with a powerplay goal at 52:01 to put the Panthers ahead. Joey Martin finished neatly in close on Stojanovič to tie things at 6-6 with 4:17 to go. 

There was chances in overtime but no goals, and it was then no surprise when the shootout also went the distance, too - Cardiff needed Cole Sanford to tie it in Round 8 to cancel out Alexander Lunsjo's goal in the third. Eventually, in Round 7, Lunsjo missed and Crandall converted to earn Sheffield the extra point.