Sun 9 Apr 2023 - 8:37PM
MATCH REPORT: PANTHERS OFF TO FINALS WEEKEND
The Nottingham Panthers beat Guildford Flames 7-6 on aggregate in the playoff quarter-finals to advance to the playoff finals at the Motorpoint Arena next weekend.
Following last night's 4-1 victory for the Panthers on home ice in Nottingham, the Flames won 5-3 in the second leg as Corey Neilson's side progressed by the narrowest of margins.
Nottingham will now meet Belfast Giants in Saturday's first semi-final (3pm), with Sheffield Steelers and Cardiff Devils going head-to-head in the second semi-final (7pm).
Panthers named the same line-up as last night with Peyton Jones starting between the pipes and Luca Sheldon as back-up.
Luke Ferrara and Mike Caruso missed out because of injury, while Archie Hazeldine was icing for NIHL side Leeds Knights.
A scuffle in-front of the net saw Jordan Kelsall drop the gloves with Flames forward Turner Ripplinger, before the Flames blew the tie wide open with three goals in a little over eight minutes to bring the tie level on aggregate.
Ryan Tait scored twice in two-and-a-half minutes as he first burst down the right wing before firing past Jones (4:53) and then poked the puck home from close range (7:35).
Peter Crinella cut inside from the right on the powerplay and went top shelf to make it 3-0 and the tie was all-square (9:41).
But Panthers mounted a first-period come back as Mike Hammond set-up Tanner Sorenson on the doorstep (12:30) and Hammond then swept home at the backdoor after a feed by Albin Lindgren (17:09).
The second period was a much tighter affair and Jones made good saves from long-range shots by Bradley Lalonde and Ben O'Connor.
Albin Lindgren's wrist-shot restored Nottingham's lead back to three (42:31), but Guildford hit back only 23 seconds later when Brett Ferguson got the final touch in the slot (42:54).
Tait completed his hat-trick from close range on the powerplay (49:42) to set-up a tense finish.
Guildford lifted netminder Taz Burman for the extra skater but the Panthers threw everything on the line and held firm to progress to finals weekend.