Flames take shootout win in Nottingham

Photo: Panthers Images

Guildford Flames kept up the pressure on league leaders Sheffield Steelers with an overtime win in Nottingham after tying 1-1 with the Panthers after 65 minutes of hockey in front of 5,435 fans at the Motorpoint Arena.

Guildford took the lead just 82 seconds into this game with a well-worked playoff off an offensive zone faceoff. Ben O'Connor found Sam Marklund along the boards who, in turn, fed Daniel Tedesco for a shot from the slot that flew into Alex Dubeau's net. 

That early breakthrough proved to be the only goal of the opening period, and indeed of the second in which Dubeau and Eamon McAdam both pulled off some fine stops to keep it a one-goal game.

The Panthers finally beat Eamon McAdam, who'd made 17 stops through 40 minutes, 3:20 into period three thanks to Jordan Kelsall with some nice stick work off an excellent pass from Jack Hopkins.

There was nothing to separate the sides after 60 minutes, while in overtime the Flames had a chance to win it late before Mike Hammond, at the other end, draw a late penalty to give the Panthers a seven-second powerplay. Corey Neilson opted to pull Dubeau to try a 5-on-3 advantage, but the host couldn't get a clean faceoff win.

In the shootout, Daniel Tedesco scored in round one, while Ben O'Connnor's effort in the third proved to be the deciding shot. David Levin was the only Panthers scorer in five attempts.