07 Jan 2024, 17:15 | Regular season | Fife Ice Arena |
Fife Flyers | 3-4 | Nottingham Panthers |
Periods: Shots: | 2-1 (6-15) | 1-2 (12-9) | 0-1 (8-12) | Total: 26-36 |
|
Referees: Halas/Rodger  |  Spectators: 1198 |
  |
Goals and assists
The Flyers started well and put Rok Stojanovič under pressure in the
opening phases of the game, but had Kevin Lindskoug to thank for a good
pad save on Tyler Welsh inside the opening five minutes. The deadlock
was broken with 5:44 played as Stojanovič stopped a Troy Lajeunesse
shot, but Vitalijs Pavlovs was the player to notice where the loose puck
was and poke it home under the Panthers goalie. Teemu Pulkkinen doubled
the lead with a nice finish at 12:23 to put the home side two ahead,
although the Panthers pulled one back 93 seconds before the end of the
period through a one-timer on the powerplay from Mathieu Lemay.
The
visitors continued to grow into the game and killed off a penalty at
the start of the second but they fell 3-1 behind at 25:32 off an
excellent first shot whipped top corner by Troy Lajeunesse. Undeterred,
the Panthers pulled one back through Otto Nieminen at 26:59 after
Lindskoug spilled a Didrik Henbrandt into the slot. Hugo Roy tied the
game with a shot in the slot that went through a screen to find the net
at 32:49. Logan Neilson hit the frame of Lindskoug's net as the Panthers
ended the period the stronger team, but with the scores level.
Nottingham
took their first lead of the night with another Lemay powerplay
one-timer, an almost identical goal to the one he scored in the first
period off a Jake Ryczek pass. Roy also put the visitors 5-3 ahead as he
broke down the wing and attempted to beat Lindskoug short side but to
no avail. Teemu Pulkkinen came closest to tying the game on a Flyers
powerplay but only found Stojanovič from point-blank range with 12:32
remaining in the period. Alexander Lunsjo hit the crossbar and side of
Lindskoug's net as the Panthers broke 3-on-1 with just under the minutes
to play, the chance coming after an extended period of pressure from
the Flyers which saw them put plenty of rubber on Stojanovič through
traffic. Lindskoug was pulled with around 1:20 left in the game, but the
Panthers almost settled things - however, Westin Michaud didn't hit the
empty net and also failed to reach the red line, giving the Flyers an
opportunity to cal la timeout on the icing call. Collin Shirley had a
chance in front on the resulting play but saw it saved, and the Flyers
struggled to work Stojanovič thereafter as the Panthers held on for the
win.