Tue 14 Mar 2023 - 10:33PM
MATCH REPORT: PANTHERS 2-4 COVENTRY
The Nottingham Panthers were beaten 4-2 by Coventry Blaze at the Motorpoint Arena in the Viaplay Elite League on Tuesday night.
Peyton Jones got the start between the pipes with Nottingham Lions netminder Matty Bloor as back-up.
Luke Ferrara missed out through injury while netminder Alex Dubeau and defenceman Albin Lindgren were the healthy scratches.
Sorenson puts Panthers ahead at first intermission
Nathanael Halbert hit the post and Jones saved from Kim Tallberg on an early Coventry first-period powerplay, before Tanner Sorenson put Panthers ahead with a perfect wrist-shot from the right circle (7:05).
Matthew Myers went close at the backdoor while JC Brassard saw his long-range shot saved by Paavo Hosla as Nottingham looked to increase their advantage.
Jones came up huge in the final minute of the opening session, superbly saving from Johnny Curran on a breakaway.
Izacky scores on the powerplay but Blaze level after two periods
Stephen Anderson, Archie Hazeldine and Adam Brady had chances in quick succession at the start of period two, before the Blaze equalised when David Clements found space in the Panthers zone and his shot trickled over the line (25:25).
Mike Hammond fed Jakub Izacky for a top-shelf one-timer from the right circle on the powerplay as Nottingham went ahead for the second time (29:40), but Curran took advantage of a giveaway in the Panthers defence to score through the five-hole (37:20).
Blaze score twice in third period to seal the points
Coventry took the lead when former Panther Brady Norrish set-up Kim Tallberg for a neat finish from close range (47:38).
Fabrizio Ricci came close to levelling in the third period but, with Jones lifted for the extra skater. Halbert flipped the puck high from his own zone into the empty net to secure Coventry the two points
Sheffield on-the-road next followed by Manchester at home
Panthers are next in action on Saturday with a trip to arch-rivals Sheffield Steelers (7pm face-off).
It's then a return to the Motorpoint Arena on Sunday with Manchester Storm the visitors to Nottingham (4pm).
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