Panthers win despite giving up lead

Photos: Dean Woolley

Nottingham Panthers won their first game in Sheffield for 22 months but had to do it the hard way after giving up a two-goal lead late in the third period.

A tight opening period at the FlyDSA Arena saw no goals but some chances for both teams, Tomáš Duba's pad save inside the opening four minuted helped to keep the game scoreless. 

The Panthers took control of things in the second with two goals inside five minutes. Jake Hansen smartly rounding Duba from Sam Herr's feed put the visitors ahead 38 seconds into the game, and just shy of four minutes later Herr's wrist shot from just outside the slot found the net to make it 2-0. 

Kevin Carr came up big to keep the hosts at bay, although the Panthers could, and possibly should, have found a third goal to make the game safe. They didn't though, They didn't, though, and Marek Trončinsky scored shorthanded with just over six minutes to go to give hope to the majority of the 8,671 fans inside the arena that a comeback might be on. And so it transpired - Tanner Eberle beat Carr from a tight angle at 58:17 to tie the game. 

Nottingham had the last laugh, however, breaking 3-on-2 in overtime and seeing Herr score the game-winner at 62:49.

Despite the loss, Sheffield's point saw them go three points clear at the top of the league.

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