Left Panther: December

There’s an old adage in British Ice Hockey that goes: ‘you can’t win the title in December, but you can lose it!’ This rings especially true for the Nottingham Panthers, as traditionally it is the Christmas period during which the hopes of a first league title in decades usually hit the skid pan! As is also traditional, Panthers would have to face bitter rivals Sheffield Steelers in a double-header: in Sheffield on Boxing Day and then back in Nottingham the day after. Many were predicting that these games would have a significant impact as to where the league title would end up come March. It would also be a very top-heavy month. Just two games in the first half of December followed by eight in nineteen days between December 17 and January 3. Fitness and stamina would need to play a big part if Panthers were to get through the month unscathed…

 

December’s first game saw Dundee Stars visit the NIC. With the Scots down in ninth place in the Elite League, this was expected to be an easy victory and it certainly seemed that would be the case when defenceman Guillaume Lepine put Panthers 4-1 ahead early in the third period. However, the Stars showed battling qualities by scoring two goals in two minutes to make it 4-3, before Jeff Heerema calmed the nerves with the fifth goal in the 48th minute. Bums squeaked again as Dundee reduced the arrears to just one at 52.42, but Panthers hung on to take the points.

 

The next game was a rare Friday night outing at the NIC, Panthers once again entertaining Scottish opponents. This time, Edinburgh Capitals made the long trip south. A blow was dealt before things even got started as forward Scott Champagne suffered an eye injury in the warm-up and had to sit out the game. No matter, though: Panthers strolled to a 6-2 victory with goals from Lachowicz, Francis, Heerema (2), Benedict and Beauregard, although it was unfortunate that there was little by the way of atmosphere in the crowd of just over 3,500.

 

Next up were Coventry Blaze at the NIC on December 17. A big crowd was present, anticipating a Panthers victory, but it couldn’t have started much worse: Blaze were 3-0 in front with less than 6 minutes on the clock, Panthers allowing the opposing forwards easy access to Craig Kowalski’s net. Thankfully, the defence tightened and the fightback started. Marc Levers pulled one back in the 26th minute, then Coach Corey Neilson batted the puck down into the net in the 45th minute and it truly was ‘game on’. With netminder Kowalski lifted for an extra skater, David Beauregard netted the equaliser with just 67 seconds remaining and the NIC erupted. Overtime failed to separate the sides, so it went to a tense penalty shoot-out. The Blaze scored two of their shots to Panthers none to take both points. A point (for the tie at the end of regulation time) was welcome after the terrible start, yet it was still a blow to Panthers title chances. 

 

 

Braehead Clan were next to visit the NIC for a game that was delayed for over half-an-hour due to their team coach breaking down en route to Nottingham. Once underway, Panthers went ahead early through Jeff Heerema but couldn’t add to the lead despite several power-play opportunities. They were made to pay as former Panther Jade Galbraith equalised for the Clan in the second period. Into the third, Panthers retook the lead as David Clarke scored his first goal in 11 games. The points were finally assured as Brandon Benedict scored into an empty net after Clan lifted their netminder for the extra skater.

 

After the game it was revealed that Scott Champagne – who had not turned out since receiving an eye injury against Edinburgh (you might say the Champagne was not on ice) – would be leaving the club to join a team in Germany. Panthers signed a replacement almost immediately as Finn Sami Ryhanen joined the club. More signing news followed later in the week as it was revealed that former forward Sean McAslan would end two seasons in retirement and return to the club early in the New Year.

 

The games were now coming thick and fast and Panthers travelled to Dundee two days before Christmas to take on the home town Stars, a game that saw Ryhanen make his debut. Panthers got off to a great start as Brock Wilson scored in the second minute before Matthew Myers doubled the lead, with an assist from Ryhanen, and it was 2-0 Panthers at the first interval. Dundee began to take the game to Panthers in the second period, however, scoring two quick goals to make it 2-2. That was the sign for Panthers to move it up a gear as they replied with a quick brace of their own through Beauregard and Clarke to go into the second break with a 4-2 lead. But Dundee wouldn’t be easily shaken off and into the final period they came back again, Jarrett Konkle scoring his second to reduce the arrears to 4-3, before Benedict restored Panthers two-goal advantage in the 52nd minute. Konkle completed his hat-trick with 27 seconds remaining to make it 5-4, but with Stars sacrificing their netminder, Clarke made the points safe with just a single second on the clock. 

 

 

Boxing Day saw the traditional visit up the M1 to face Sheffield Steelers. In what has become as big a part of Christmas as the visit from Santa, the anticipation for the festive double-header shows in the crowd figures. Just under 7,500 fans were in Sheffield for the game, while the following night would see 7,000 fans at the NIC for a game that was sold out two weeks previously! Steelers versus Panthers games are usually played at full tilt and this was to be no different.

 

Sheffield took the lead in the 13th minute through Mike Ramsay after he found space on the left to fire past Kowalski in the Panthers net. Less than two minutes later the visitors were level, Brock Wilson’s shot deflecting in off Steelers Coach Ryan Finnerty.  No further scoring meant it was 1-1 at the first break. Panthers started the second with gusto as they scored two early goals early, first through Jordan Fox, who blasted his shot into the roof of the net, then just two minutes later Guillaume Lepine found the top corner and it was 3-1. Next it was Kowalski’s turn to be the hero as he saved a Jeff Legue penalty shot, given after Lepine had hooked back the same player when he was clean through on goal.

 

The Steelers did pull a goal back before the interval – Ashley Tait’s shot rebounding off the post to Jason Hewitt who fired past the diving Kowalski – to set things up nicely for a final period which began with a vital goal for Panthers, Beauregard robbing the puck from the Steelers defence and passing to Wollaton’s own Rob Lachowicz to fire home. Still the Steelers came and, with Hewitt getting his second after superb build-up play, a tense finale was set up at 3-4. Panthers managed to kill two penalties against them, not conceding when a man down, and with 80 seconds remaining Steelers lifted netminder John DeCaro for the extra skater to try and get the equaliser. However, Panthers won the face-off and Jeff Heerema fired into the empty net to secure two welcome points and send 1,000 travelling fans into euphoria. [Check the video below for highlights]

 

 

The next day and the NIC was the venue for the Steelers rematch. Many expected the visitors to come out looking for swift revenge; however, the first period was a tense affair and exploded only after ten minutes as Steelers hard man Colt King was given a 5+Game penalty (effectively, sent off, with Sheffield a man light for the 5 minute penalty period) for dangerously putting Jordan Fox into the boards. Despite the blow, Steelers held firm and it was goalless going into the first interval. It was Panthers who scored the decisive first goal, Matthew Myers tipping a shot between John DeCaro’s pads. Despite domination from the home team, Steelers managed an equaliser against the run of play as Mike Ramsay scored.

 

A lengthy delay to fix a faulty door seemed to benefit Panthers, however, and they went ahead again at 34.00 on the clock, Matt Francis going through on DeCaro and once again the puck went into the net through his pads. Panthers had their tails up now and it was soon 3-1 as David Beauregard fired in from the edge of the crease on the powerplay. No further scoring saw Panthers take the lead into the second break. Just 14 seconds into the final period and it was 4-1: Brandon Benedict found Myers with a perfect pass and he slotted home. Panther were now dominating the game and Steelers were looking a well beaten team. The inevitable Panthers fifth goal came from Matt Francis who hit a laser of a shot into the roof of DeCaro’s net for a 5-1 victory and Christmas double over their bitter rivals. Things were certainly looking up.

 

The final game of the year was in Hull. Always a difficult place to go, Stingrays took the lead in the seventh minute, but within two minutes Panthers were level through Jeff Heerema. The score stayed the same until the 28th minute when Panthers edged in front, David Beauregard scoring his 26th goal of the season before Heerema grabbed his second to make it 3-1.  The sparked a Hull revival and two quick goals made it 3-3 by the end of the second period. However, this was Hull’s third game in three nights and their tiredness took a heavy toll in the third, with Panthers scoring six unanswered goals to win 9-3 and take both points. The fourth Panthers goal saw David Clarke become the all-time leading Elite League leading goal scorer by notching his 230th goal since the inauguration of the current format in 2003-04 to take the record from former Coventry Blaze star Adam Calder. It was a night for records as David Beauregard also scored his 1,000th career point across all clubs and leagues, with the other goals bagged by Lachowicz (2), Levers, Lee and Fox. [Again, highlights below] 

 

 

That ended an excellent December for Panthers, dropping just one point. They were very much in the title race; still behind Belfast Giants but catching.

 

January sees some huge games, none more so than a visit to Belfast on January 21. There is also the Challenge Cup semi-final against Braehead Clan on the weekend of 14/15 January. Much to look forward to for the Panthers faithful, then, as we chase a first league title since 1956.

 

Until next time…

 

 

The Cat’s Whiskers