Panthers stay perfect with home win

Photo: Panthers Images

Nottingham Panthers continued their perfect start to the season with a one-goal win over Coventry Blaze at the Motorpoint Arena.

The Panthers were excellent value for their two-goal lead through the opening 20 minutes on home ice. Everyone in the building through Reid Stefanson was going to shoot when the puck broke to him at 212, but he instead found an excellent pass to Tim Doherty who beat Mat Robson to put the Panthers ahead early. The Blaze created some good pressure on Ryan Bednard in the Panthers net while Quinn Wichers sat for cross-checking, but a couple of blocks at important times helped the Panthers stay ahead. On a powerplay of their own, Davis Bunz fed Matt Alfaro for the one-timer to bear Robson and double the Panthers' lead with 4:18 left in the period.

In period two, Bednard was the difference between the teams. He made a string of saves, including three in a row, to keep the Panthers ahead as the Blaze outshot their hosts 14-7. No scoring, however, saw the home side still two ahead through 40 minutes.

Coventry were still very much in the game heading into the third, and were duly back into things 72 seconds into the period – Alessio Luciani was stronger in a net front battle and fired high past Bednard to make it a one-goal game.

The Blaze killed off a two-minute 5-on-3 shorthanded spell to keep themselves in things, but were undone with a goal out of nothing. The Panthers broke forward 2-on-1 where Bunz set up Alfaro for a high finish with 7:34 left to play. Kevin Moore pulled Robson with 1:16 to go, and was rewarded when Chase Gresock fired past Bednard just five seconds later. With 50 seconds to go, Robson was pulled again but a late tripping penalty on Brandon Alderson gave the Panthers the break they needed to keep possession for the final 37 seconds.