Panthers v Giants
Nottingham Panthers
3 - 4
Belfast Giants
Match Report
Nottingham Panthers were beaten 4-3 after overtime by Belfast Giants in a thrilling final game of the regular-season at the Motorpoint Arena.
Victory for the Giants and defeat for Sheffield Steelers on the road at Coventry Blaze saw Adam Keefe's side claim the Elite League title.
Panthers were without Otto Nieminen who continues his recovery from a lower body injury. Reid Stefanson also missed out after picking up an injury in warm-up.
Davis Bunz played through illness, joining Luca Sheldon, Sam Herr and Tim Doherty who have all been hit by the sickness bug this week.
Jere Huhtamaa started between the pipes with Sheldon as back-up.
Fossier scores for Panthers in level first period
Mitch Fossier put Panthers ahead when he buried the puck on the rebound from close-range (05:29), while Cooper Zech and Matt Alfaro went close.
The Giants equalised through Mark Cooper short-handed as he cut inside from the left and sneaked the puck inside Huhtamaa's near-post.
Huhtamaa made a string of fine stops in the first period including a close-range save to deny Scott Conway.
Wonder goal from Zech as Panthers lead
Fossier set-up Doherty to score from the slot (25:22) and superb skills from Cooper Zech saw him beat the Giants defence and put the puck past Whistle (28:21).
Huhtamaa continued to look strong between the pipes, making a string of close-range saves, but could do nothing about Mike Lee's pinpoint shot from the left-circle (33:27).
Conway goal takes game to overtime
Huhtamaa made a good glove save to stop Bobo Carpenter, before Scott Conway equalised from close-range during a spell of four-on-four (47:40).
Fossier went close and Alfaro's shot hit the side-netting during a sustained spell of pressure from the Panthers halfway through the third session.
The final hooter brought celebration for the Giants as news filtered through that Steelers had been beaten in Coventry.
Giants win it overtime
Fossier went close for the Panthers in the extra period before the Giants broke on a two-on-one to secure the victory.
Lee, who scored the overtime-winner last night, netted at the backdoor to secure his side the extra point.