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Nott again in NIC
Nottingham secured their place in the final of the Challenge Cup without alarm against the Sheffield Steelers. This is the fourth time this season that the Panthers have beaten the Steelers in the NIC.
Leading 4-2 from the first leg the visitors knew they would have to score first to put the hosts under pressure but second period goals from Kevin Bergin and Bruce Richardson gave Nottingham a comfortable 6-2 aggregate advantage that they weren’t going to let slip.
Both sides started the game well and Andrew Verner and Kevin St. Pierre were both called upon but the period ended goalless. It was the hosts who made the breakthrough early in the second period, a lengthy spell of pressure in the Steelers’ zone. Sean McAslan’s shot into a crowded crease fell perfectly for Bergin and he opened the scoring at 24.12.
With Sheffield reeling the Panthers tried to put the tie beyond them but David Clarke hit the bar on the powerplay and Jade Galbraith hit the post, although the goal judge put the red light on the referee correctly ruled that the puck had slipped underneath Verner but not crossed the line. These close shaves didn’t cost Nottingham as Richardson finished off a 2-on-1 break at 37.20. Sheffield struck back quickly at 38.53 with Doug Sheppard scoring after Jonathan Phillips held on to the puck skating into the zone and around the net, drawing the Panthers defence out of position.
Nottingham were content to play a more conservative game in the third period but still came close to scoring. Levers hit the bar on a breakaway opportunity but most of the play was at the other end. Kevin St. Pierre was on fine form yet again and he stopped several Steelers chances and the one time he was beaten by Jonathan Zion the post came to his rescue.
Both teams had powerplay chances throughout the game but couldn’t make the man advantage count. The Panthers did a great job of blocking shots and taking away the passing lanes the Steelers had used so effectively against Belfast over the weekend.
Perhaps Sheffield’s best chance to swing the tie in their favour came early in the second period. A long pass through the middle found Mike Sgroi and he went in one-on-one with St. Pierre but lost control of the puck and never did manage to get a shot in. Moments later Nottingham took the lead on the night through Bergin and the Steelers’ big moment had been and gone.
As the clock ran down Sheffield were still giving it their all but the hosts were never really stretched. With Verner pulled inside the final minute Galbraith hit the post yet again, the fourth time the Panthers had been denied by the pipes, but the puck bounced out to Cameron Mann and he scored at 59.31 and the Panthers place in the final was confirmed.
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5-3 |
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4-5 |
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1-4 |
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4-4 |
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2-4 |
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5-1 |
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4-1 |
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5-2 |
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3-7 |
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1-1 |
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