Fri 8 Dec 2023 - 9:20PM

FINAL SCORE: BELFAST 4-3 PANTHERS

🎟 NEXT HOME GAME: SAT 16TH DEC v GUILDFORD - BUY TICKETS HERE 🎟

The Nottingham Panthers produced another battling road performance but came up just short in a 4-3 defeat at Belfast Giants.

Netminder Rok Stojanovic got the start between the pipes with Luca Sheldon as back-up.

Josh Tetlow remains out of action with a broken arm, while Joe Hazeldine make his second debut after returning to his hometown club this week.

Superb Lemay goal ensures even first period
Westin Michaud saw his shot saved by Tyler Beskorowany inside the first 30 seconds, while Ollie Betteridge also went close in the opening stages.

The hosts took the lead when Quinn Preston cut inside from the left to fire through traffic (4:25), before Stojanovic made a great save to deny Mark Cooper.

Panthers equalised on the powerplay through a superb goal from Mathieu Lemay who received the puck on the left-hand side from Jake Ryczek, cut across the zone to the right circle and fired top-shelf past Beskorowany (15:45).

Betteridge and Michaud goals pull Panthers level
The Giants went back in-front on the powerplay as Matt McLeod used his speed to break into the zone on the right-wing and fed Cooper in the slot (26:57).

Belfast scored their third - also with the man advantage - when Ara Nazarian popped home the rebound after Stojanovic made two great saves in succession (32:16).

Two goals in just over two minutes saw Nottingham level the game at the second intermission, as Didrik Henbrant and Tyler Welsh combined superbly to set-up Betteridge in the slot (37:26).

The equaliser came on a five-on-three powerplay as Lemay fed Westin Michaud to score at the bottom of the right circle (39:50).

Giants score late winner
Stojanovic stopped Kohei Sato on a breakaway at one end, before Beskorowany turned away shots from Hugo Roy and Carl Neill as Panthers came so close to taking the lead.

The Giants won it with under five minutes remaining as Jacob Friend did well on the right-wing and fed Kohei Sato who rounded Stojanovic to score the game-winner (55:17).

Panthers are back in action on Sunday and on-the-road again with a trip to Coventry Blaze (5:30pm).