Coventry Blaze 4 Nottingham Panthers 7
September 5, 2010
The first clash of the season between these two top teams produced another classic with Panthers picking up their second win of the weekend in a high scoring, physical encounter.
The first period simply did not allow anyone to draw breath as play raged from end to end and no fewer than seven goals were scored. Panthers dominated the shot count by 22 to 7 but only led by one after a pulsating session.
It was Blaze who opened the scoring with Brad Cruikshank on target at 3.28 on the powerplay but Panthers levelled at 5.39 thanks to Matt Myers. A scrap between Penner (Panthers) and Smith (Blaze) racked up the intensity even more but it was the home side ahead again at 9.21 as Luke Fulghum scored shorthanded. A powerplay effort by David Clarke at 11.06 saw the game tied at two before Jade Galbraith for Panthers at 14.17 and Owen Fussey for Blaze some 41 seconds later kept the teams glued together. That didn't last however and at 15.45 the scoring for the period ended with Ian McDonald firing Panthers in front once more.
The second session saw more Blaze pressure but Panthers struck twice more to take control. At 29.49 it was player/coach Corey Neilson on hand to net and then at 37.47 David-Alexandre Beauregard made it 6-3.
Blaze were far from finished and kept it very interesting when on the powerplay Brian Lee pulled one back at 43.24 but try as they might they could not make further inroads to the visitors advantage and Billy Ryan ended the scoring into the empty net with only 3 seconds of play remaining.
Period Scores: 3-4, 0-2, 1-1
Penalty Mins: Cov 31 - Not 33
Powerplay: Cov 2/11 - Not 1/5
Shots on: Brett Jaeger 40 + 1 ENG - Craig Kowalski 31
Referee: Tom Darnell
