SHEFFIELD, UK – atrick Galbraith started in nets for the GMB Panthers with injured pair Raphael Bussieres and Robert Farmer missing from the line-up in Yorkshire.
Erik Lindhagen was fore-checking on the wall to win the puck in Steelers’ zone in the seventh minute and Zack Phillips carried it from there across the face of goal, where David Clarke was making a nuisance of himself, until Phillips fired home into the roof to put Panthers ahead at 6.18.
The only penalties of the first went against the Panthers, on both kills they carved out great chances short-handed without success, and both Sheffield powerplays were killed off.
Galbraith made a clutch of saves to keep the home side at bay and the first period ended with Panthers’ noses in front.
Both goalies were kept on their toes in the first half of the middle period then Panthers stretched their lead with a messy goal and a classy goal.
The messy goal went in off the stick of Mike Vaskivuo when Steelers failed to clear the crease area at 33.28.
The classy goal saw Luke Pither down the left wing turn the puck inside to Mark Derlago who carried it to the side of the net to round the defenceman and slide it across to Evan Mosey for a clinical finish at 36.23 and Panthers led 0-3 at the second break.
Panthers had to kill off Sheffield’s third and fourth powerplays early in the third but soon after Dowd, in his 500th appearance for Sheffield, fired home off a rebound at 45.27.
Another successful penalty kill by the Panthers saw them into the last ten minutes of the game but at the end of a long shift Nottingham failed to get the puck out of their zone and Dowd bagged his second from the top of the circle at 54.53.
A huge save denied Derlago in the 57th minute and the Steelers keeper was pulled with two minutes to go.
Sheffield’s first penalty with 63 seconds left on the clock eased the pressure and Panthers saw off the closing seconds to pick up two important points.
Panthers are next in home ice action on Tuesday against the Fife Flyers in their last home regular season game, tickets on sale now.
Tickets are also on sale for the home leg of the play-off quarter-finals which will face-off at seven o’clock on either Saturday March 31st OR Sunday April 1st.
With Nottingham match report
Photo’s by Sam Scott
@samscott2271
sam.scott@prohockeynews.com
@prohockeynews
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