Panthers v Stars

Match Report

Nottingham Panthers beat Dundee Stars 5-3 at the Motorpoint Arena to make it nine points out of 10 in the opening five games of the Elite League season.

Panthers were without Chase Pearson (upper body injury). Jason Grande started between the pipes with Luca Sheldon as back-up.

Spencer's rocket give Panthers first-period lead
It was one-way pressure from the Panthers in the first period and after a spell of intense pressure, David Noël and Tim Doherty set-up Matt Spencer to fire a rocket from just inside the blueline, helped by a great screen from Matt Alfaro (04:09).

Panthers peppered 20 shots on Dundee netminder Jarrett Fiske who made a string of great saves, which included chances for Mitch Fossier, Brendan Harris, Didrik Henbrant and Jordan Kelsall.

Panthers score three goals in under five minutes
Stars scored through Hampus Olsson from close-range early in the second session (21:10), before Panthers hit back within 34 seconds as Ross Armour got the touch to Jarod Hilderman's pass towards the net (21:44).

Nolan Volcan made it 3-1 from the slot after a scramble around Fiske's net (24:27) and Armour scored his second when he drove the net to meet Fossier's pass from the left-wing on the powerplay (26:17).

Grande made a couple of good saves late in the period to turn away shots from Spencer Naas and Matt Berry as Dundee pushed for a way back into the game.

Lemos scores in third period
​Dundee made a strong start to the third period and Grande was at his best to deny Berry and Olsson, before Matt Alfaro fed Bryan Lemos to convert at the backdoor as Panthers scored on a third-period powerplay (49:18).

Brad Schoonbaert scored for Dundee from close-range on the powerplay (53:58) and Naas netted short-handed when Stars broke two-on-one (56:01).

But Panthers' second-period burst proved crucial as Danny Stewart's side made it four wins from five in Elite League action.