REPORT: Nottingham Panthers 5 Braehead Clan 4

NEXT HOME GAME: See your Gardiner Conference Champions in action next on Wednesday 8th March v the Manchester Storm (7:30pm face-off). It’s a Purple Wednesday’s game, tickets are available in the bronze section for £10 for adults and £5 for children. Tickets can be purchased NOW via TICKETMASTER, by calling 0844 499 1700 or direct at the Braehead Arena box office.

Glasgow’s Braehead Clan double road trip weekend began with a loss as Nottingham Panthers overcame a third period comeback to edge a nine-goal contest to win 5-4.

Clan were back on the road for the first time in five weeks and were keen to keep the recent run of five games unbeaten going as they visited Nottingham Panthers.

However the home side were in front just 66 seconds into the game when Matt Carter’s low shot beat Braehead goalie Michal Zajkowski.

Davids Sarkanis added a second with a shot across the goal not long after to make life difficult for Ryan Finnerty’s men.

But Stefan Della Rovere was on hand to backhand a terrific into Miika Wiikman’s net glove side to pull Clan back into the game.

Then Matt Beca restored parity with a wicked shot to level things, but were denied a third when Nottingham’s goalie denied Craig Peacock from close range.

David Clarke’s wrist shot made it 3-2 as Panthers restored something of a lead, with Sarkanis finishing low on a rebound to open the two-goal gulf again.

A venomous Jeff Brown strike then made it 5-2 after the first period, with head coach Finnerty swapping Zajkowski for Gary Russell for the second session.

Both teams couldn’t enhance their scoring any further in the second, but the Clan bridged the deficit slightly early in the third as Scott Pitt tucked in at the back door on the powerplay.

Mike Hammond struck with two and a half minutes to go with a deadly effort from the blue line to swing the late momentum in Clan’s favour.

However Panthers hung on to claim victory despite Braehead’s best efforts to salvage at least a point in the end.