Sat 10 Feb 2024 - 9:45PM

10TH FEBRUARY 2024: FIFE 9-7 PANTHERS

🎟 TOMORROW (SUNDAY): PANTHERS v CLAN (4PM) - BUY TICKETS NOW 🎟

The Nottingham Panthers were beaten 9-7 by Fife Flyers in a crazy game in Kirkcaldy on Saturday night.

Logan Neilson and Simon Després scored their first goals for the Panthers in a 16-goal thriller.

Panthers were without suspended forward Félix Paré, as well as injured trio Ollie Betteridge, Josh Tetlow and Tyler Welsh.

Defenceman Myles McGurty returned to the line-up, but Joe Hazeldine was a late scratch and missed the game through illness.

Després scores first Panthers goal
Després put Panthers ahead after being set-up by McGurty and Hugo Roy (2:10).

Mathieu Lemay sent Roy clear who rounded Shane Owen for Nottingham's second (4:20), before Jonas Emmerdahl reduced the arrears with a wrist-shot into the top corner (6:03).

Teemu Pulkkinen tied the game up with a low shot from the hash marks (17:45), but Panthers were back ahead two minutes later when Mike Caruso fired a belter from the blueline on a delayed penalty (19:46).

Panthers lead 5-4 at second intermission
Jake Ryczek got the final touch to a scramble around the net (29:17) to made it 4-2 to the Panthers, but Troy Lajeunesse's rebound (31:03) and Humitz's backhand top-shelf finish brought the hosts level (38:01).

Alexander Lunsjö put Nottingham back in-front just before the second intermision with a bullet into the top corner (39:11).

Neilson scores first professional goal
​McGurty's long-range shot went through Owen as Panthers opened up a two-goal lead again (41:08), but Fife scored three goals in five minutes to turn the game on its head.

Teemu Pulkkinen fired low to make it a one-goal game (41:52), Humitz scored his second from behind the redline which hit Robinson's shoulder to bounce into the net (47:48) and Lajeunesse's one-timer put Fife ahead (48:37).

A special moment for Neilson soon followed as he got the puck in the slot from Westin Michaud and fired in his first professional goal to equalise (50:11).

Johan Eriksson's scored at the backdoor as Fife edged ahead again (51:23) and Lajeunesse completed his hat-trick with an empty-netter (58:14).

Clan at home tomorrow (Sunday)
Panthers are straight back into action tomorrow with the visit of Glasgow Clan (4pm) in a game sponsored by Blake Services.

There's two vital points on the line in the Elite League at the Motorpoint Arena and you can be part of it. Click here to secure your seats.