Nottingham Panthers extended their lead at the top of the Elite League to three points with a solid 4-1 road win over Fife Flyers at Fife Ice Arena, led by a hat trick from Mitchell Fossier.
The opening period was goalless, though the visitors controlled much of the play and created the better chances. “It was a long day of travel and we were a bit short on bodies, so it was important to find our legs early,” said Fossier. “I thought we did what we needed to do to be successful. It wasn’t always pretty, but it’s always nice to get a win on the road, and we’ll take it.”
After missing out on a 5-on-3 powerplay chance early in the second, the Panthers finally broke through at 23:23 when a neat passing play found Fossier in front to fire past Shane Owen. He doubled Nottingham’s advantage later in the period, scoring his second with a precise finish after his initial effort bounced back into his path.
Fife hit back early in the third as Keaton Jameson found space to slot five-hole past Kevin Carr just 52 seconds into the period. But discipline cost the Flyers in the closing stages – a hooking call on Brodie Kay followed by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to Giordano Finoro for arguing with the officials left Fife two men down. The Panthers took full advantage, with David Noël blasting home on the 5-on-3 to restore the two-goal cushion with 5:34 remaining.
Jamie Russell pulled Owen for the extra skater in the final minutes, but the Flyers couldn’t find a way back. Fossier sealed the victory and his hat trick with 42 seconds to play, scoring into the empty net to complete a standout performance.
“It’s always fun to score a hat trick,” smiled Fossier. “My linemates played really well tonight – I don’t think I did anything too special, just tried to be in the right place at the right time and got rewarded.”
Reflecting on Nottingham’s strong start to the season, Fossier added: “As a team we’ve been collecting some wins and it’s really building our confidence. Guys are starting to play with expectation, and that’s how a winning culture forms. It took us a little while to find our identity, but it’s coming together nicely now.”
Photo: Flyers Images