Herr double helps Panthers into second

Photo: Panthers Images

Nottingham Panthers moved into second place thanks to a convincing 5-1 win over fourth-placed Cardiff Devils on Wednesday night.

Panthers head coach Danny Stewart probably couldn’t have drawn up a better opening period. While the Panthers didn’t create a huge amount, they gave up very little and came out with a two-goal lead.

Logan Neilson put the home side ahead after just 92 seconds when Davis Bunz’s shot took a nasty deflection off Ben Almquist and fell straight on the stick of Logan Neilson to shot home in the slot.

The Devils were almost level when Sam Duggan stepped into a wrist shot in the slot but saw his shot come back off Jason Grande’s post. Cardiff had two powerplay opportunities in the period, but only called Grande into work from distance. In between those penalties, Sam Herr rang a shot off Mac Carruth’s post as he shot somewhat speculatively from the wing.

With the Devils enjoying their second powerplay of the game, interchange play between Cole Sanford and Evan Mosey saw the puck get turned over by Matt Alfaro who then fed Herr who raced away and beat Carruth shorthanded at 17:23.

Cardiff were more on the front foot and creating better chances in periods two, although the Panthers remained a threat on the rush.

The Devils really should have been on the board 10 minutes into period two. Grande made an excellent save off Kohen Olischefski’s initial shot, while a combination of Jaakko Niskala and Ollie Betteridge threw their bodies in front of Sanford’s follow-up to keep the puck out. Grande then covered a loose puck on the line to stop Sanford tapping it in.

The Devils were finally on the board when Riley Brandy ripped a wrist shot up and over the shoulder of Grande out of almost nothing with just over eight minutes left in the second. Herr’s tight-angle shot came off Carruth’s shoulder in the Panthers’ best chance of a period.

Although the Panthers were second best for a lot of period two, a one-timer off Tim Doherty's stick from Cooper Zech’s feed, on the powerplay, put the home side back two ahead.

Brant joined words between Cody Donaghey and Mitch Fossier at the end of period two and ended up glove-punching Fossier, causing a scrum as the players left the ice. The Devils came out of the melee short at the start of period three, and that came back to hurt them. 63 seconds into the period, Matt Alvaro beat Carruth high through a screen to put the Panthers 4-1 ahead.

Just 66 seconds after that, Zsombor Garát's shot hit the backboards and landed back in the slot for Herr to put home and make it 5-1. Donaghey’s diving block prevent the Panthers scoring again on a 3-on-1 rush a couple of plays later.

Evan Mosey came close to getting one back for the Devils but shot straight at Grande, while MacDonald hit the crossbar as the visitors pushed back.

That was, however, has good as it got for the visitors who were restricted to just the gone goal on the road and fell to their third successive road defeat where with four goals against. The Panthers moved into second with the win heading into the weekend.