Mon 24 Nov 2025 - 3:00PM
ARMOUR JOINS CRAIGHEAD, BERGIN, LEVERS AND FRANCIS
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John Craighead, Marc Levers, Kevin Bergin and Matt Francis - what have they all got in common? They've all scored a hat-trick against arch-rivals Sheffield Steelers in the Elite League era.
And now, Panthers forward Ross Armour has made it an exclusive club of five following his treble against the Steelers on Saturday.
Talk to any Panthers player, there's an extra buzz to score against the Steelers so to net a hat-trick is a very special feeling!
Let's look back at all five hat-tricks...
John Craighead - Panthers 5-5 Steelers (Elite League) - 20th September 2003
Craighead joined the Panthers in the first year of the Elite League in the summer of 2003 with an impressive CV, which included five games in the NHL as well as playing in the AHL, IHL and DEL in Germany.
The USA-born forward dominated the league in his first season in the UK. He could fight and he could score - and the Panthers fans had a new hero when he netted a treble to help Panthers to a 5-0 lead after two periods against the Steelers.
Panthers had to settle for a point though in a 5-5 tie, back in the days when Elite League games could end in a draw. Sheffield scored five times in the third session with Rocket Ron Shudra scoring the equaliser with 56 seconds remaining.
Kevin Bergin - Steelers 3-6 Panthers (Challenge Cup Final) - 23rd January 2008
To score a hat-trick against the Steelers is huge, but to do it in a cup final is something else.
Bergin was another guy who could fight, score and be a set-up man and was adored by the #PanthersNation.
He scored a hat-trick in a memorable 6-3 victory in Sheffield in the first leg of the Challenge Cup final. Panthers went on to secure silverware with a 9-7 success on aggregate.
Marc Levers - Panthers 6-1 Steelers (Elite League) - 16th February 2008
Under a month later, Panthers had another hat-trick hero as East Midlands-born Marc Levers scored three times in a league match at home in February 2008.
After giving Panthers a two-goal lead just past the 13-minute mark, he set the seal on the win with his hat-trick goal with just over two-and-a-half minutes remaining.
The very popular British forward went on to win the Challenge Cup six times with the Panthers, three playoff championships and one Elite League title.
Matt Francis - Panthers 6-1 Steelers (Elite League) - 17th November 2013
Francis only spent three seasons in Nottingham but in that time became a fans' favourite, winning the Elite League title, Challenge Cup (three times) and playoff championship (twice).
His hat-trick began with a short-handed goal to give Panthers the lead in the first period.
Francis completed his treble in the third period even-handed and on the powerplay to help give Panthers a comprehensive victory against the arch rivals.
Ross Armour - Panthers 4-3 Steelers (Elite League) - 22nd November 2025
Armour became the first Panthers player to score a hat-trick against the Steelers in just over 12 years on a night of drama last weekend in Saturday's 4-3 victory after a shootout.
He scored twice in just over two minutes to help erase a two-goal deficit and ensure Panthers went to the second intermission with the game tied at two.
With Kevin Carr lifted for the extra outskater, Armour buried home a rebound on a six-on-five play with only 74 seconds remaining which nearly lifted the roof off the Motorpoint Arena.
Panthers, of course, went on to win the shootout and secure a massive two points and remain top of the Elite League table.
Blasts from the Past
There have been plenty of other hat-tricks against the Steelers before the Elite League era.
Paul Adey, whose #22 jersey is retired by the club, scored a remarkable four hat-tricks for the Panthers against Sheffield in his career.
Other players to score a treble against the Steelers include PC Drouin, Derek Laxdal, Jeff Hoad and Simon Hunt.