Panthers end weekend with home win

Photo: Panthers Images

Nottingham Panthers bounced back from a Saturday night defeat to Dundee Stars with a four-goal win over Belfast Giants to give them two points from a two-game home-stand in Week 7.

The hosts led by a pair after the opening 20 minutes at the Motorpoint Arena. Hugo Roy took a pass off the boards from Sam Herr and beat Jackson Whistle high, glove side to open the scoring with 7:38 played.

Kristoff Kontos beat Whistle low on the blocker side with a penalty shot at 16:40 to send the Panthers into the break two up.

The Giants got themselves back into things through Ben Lake at 28:02 to set up a one-goal game heading into the final period.

As the game entered the last ten minutes and the Giants were about to make a final push, Grant Mismash took a Hooking minor along the wall, and then argued about it so much that he was given another minor for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. That set the Panthers on a 5-on-3 which they made full use of - Tim Doherty made it 3-1 49 seconds after those penalties to give the hosts some breathing space, while captain Herr beat Whistle on a rebound at 53:06 to give the hosts a two-goal cushion. Reid Stefanson found the back of an empty Giants' net from just behind his own blue line with 2:26 remaining to round things off.