Flyers v Panthers

Match Report

Nottingham Panthers came from behind to beat Fife Flyers 4-2 in the Elite League in Kirkcaldy on Sunday night.

Panthers remained without defenceman Quinn Wichers and netminder Ryan Bednard. Jason Grande started between the pipes with Luca Sheldon as back-up.

It was a slow start to the game but Grande made two good close-range saves in the opening stages, before Panthers dominated much of the opening period.

Kristoff Kontos, Sam Herr and Cooper Zech had good chances on the same shift, while the Flyers cleared a loose puck off the line following a goalmouth scramble.

Herr fed Mitch Fossier who fired into the top right-hand corner to put Panthers ahead (25:12) before Reid Stefanson was denied at the backdoor on a two-on-one break.

Former Panthers forward Massimo Carozza equalised from the slot (32:28) and Kieran Craig put the hosts ahead short-handed when he put away his own rebound after initially being denied by Grande on the breakaway (38:27).

The game was turned on its head in the third period with three unanswered goals for the Panthers, which started when Jordan Kelsall and Otto Nieminen set-up Zsombor Garát whose shot crept under Janis Voris (50:39).

Panthers went ahead 66 seconds later as great skills from Zech created the chance for Kontos to go short-side from the right-circle (51:45).

Nieminen secured the victory and a four-point weekend with an empty-net goal inside the final minute (59:11).