Panthers v Storm
The Nottingham Panthers
4 - 5
Manchester Storm
Match Report
The Nottingham Panthers were beaten 5-4 after overtime by Manchester Storm at the Motorpoint Arena.
Rok Stojanovic started between the pipes with Mike Robinson as back-up. Defenceman Josh Tetlow and forward Westin Michaud both missed out because of injury.
Lunsjö scores in even first period
The visitors went ahead through Loren Ulett's one-timer blast from right-point that went in off the pipes (2:28).
Panthers had a string of chances midway through the period with Stephen Anderson, Mathieu Lemay and Didrik Henbrant all going close, before strong work by Carl Neill and Otto Nieminen set-up Alexander Lunsjö to turn the puck in at the backdoor (11:57).
Lunsjö and Henbrant score in frantic second period
Storm netminder Alex Oldale made a good pad save to deny Ollie Betteridge early in the second period and at the other end, a clever tip from Stephen Johnson on the powerplay put Manchester ahead again (24:43).
Lemay fed Lunsjö and his tip trickled under Oldale to equalise (26:53), while Didrik Henbrant hit the bar and then buried his own rebound on the doorstep on the powerplay (32:25).
Former Panther Zack Phillips set-up Johnson for the second of the night as Storm scored on the powerplay (35:19), before Lemay and Lunsjö hit the pipes late in the period.
Roy on target in tied third period
Lunsjö was denied on the breakaway 30 seconds into the third session but he turned provider to feed Hugo Roy to fire top-shelf from the top of the left circle to put Panthers ahead (49:05).
Stojanovic made a great glove save to deny Mitchell Martan on a Manchester powerplay, but Storm scored a late equaliser with Oldale lifted for the extra skater as Cam Critchlow fired top-shelf from close-range (58:23).
Former Panther wins it in overtime
Storm won it 43 seconds into overtime as Phillips found room in the offensive zone and fired across Stojanovic to secure the extra point (60:43).