Nottingham wrap up a festive double header against Sheffield

On Boxing Day the Nottingham Panthers travelled to Sheffield where they played their biggest rival, the Sheffield Steelers. Nottingham were without their captain, David Clarke, as he looks set to miss the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury. They were also without a win from their previous three games which had seen the Panthers slip to fifth in the league table. Nottingahm came out on top in front of a sell out crowd of 8,000 in a 4-0 win through goals from Steve Lee, Chris Higgins, Chris Lawrence and Greg Jacina. 

The following day the two teams would meet once again, this time at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham. Within the first period of play it was all Steelers as the visitors raced into a 2-0 lead six minutes in. A dodgy puck bounce around the boards which fell to Colton Fretter at the back post who slotted it in. Rob Dowd hit a fierce slapshot over Modig's glove to make it 2-0 to Sheffield.

Chris Lawrence halved the defecit five minutes into the second period with a backhanded shot into the roof of the net.

Going into the final period Sheffield looked the more likely to come away with the points. Mathieu Roy deflected a shot just wide before Forney failed to control a chance in front of Modig's goal.

With the clock counting down Nottingham needed a big push to tie things up. A fierce shot from Landry did just that and the home crowd went into wild celebrations.

A pressure cooker atmosphere followed as Panthers looked for the win. Overtime bizarrely started as 5 on 4 but it mattered not as Lawrence mashed in his 17th goal of the season to give Nottingham the two wins of this festive double header.

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