Curran scores twice for returning Panthers

Photo: Panthers Images

Nottingham Panthers returned to Elite League action with a 4-1 win over Guildford Flames in front of 6,712 fans at the Motorpoint Arena.

“Guildford are a really talented team, they can run and gun with the best of them,” began Panthers’ Johnny Curran, who scored twice. “The first period could have gone either way, they were flying in the second, and we got some big special teams plays. It was good.”

The Panthers led by one after 20 minutes as they came back to domestic competition following a week away. Jakob Stridsberg opened the scoring at 6:49, finishing a rebound from a Tim Doherty shot, and the hosts could have doubled their advantage with several scrambles in front of Justin Fazio.

“Not the result we wanted, we just weren’t good enough across the 60 minutes,” said Flames’ Lewis Hook. “Especially in front of a big crowd, we’ve had success here in the past, but tonight we weren’t good. We have to bounce back against the same team tomorrow.”

Guildford drew level shorthanded 8:13 into the second period through Josh Waller, but the Panthers responded on the same power play just 53 seconds later as Curran restored the home side’s lead.

Nottingham extended their advantage early in the third period when captain Matt Alfaro fired a shot from a tight angle at 43:24 that beat Fazio. The result was sealed with 8:30 remaining as the Panthers broke 3-on-1, Curran’s shot deflecting off Jamal Watson and past Fazio to make it 4-1.

“We gave up two odd-man rushes and a power-play goal, and a team like the Panthers will put those away,” concluded Hook. “We have to come back on home ice and show a bit of will, fight, and do the little things right.”

Curran also explained how the Panthers managed the transition back to league play following their IIHF Continental Cup success. “The team around us did a great job giving us some time off this week to just reset everything and get the mind ready for getting back to the league,” he said. “We had a hard practice on Thursday, and that gets you ready to go.”