The Genting Casino Coventry Blaze secured the most valuable of points, tying the Nottingham Panthers 2-2 after regulation time. Despite losing 3-2 via a shoot-out, the result was enough to confirm their automatic place in the Semi-Finals of the Challenge Cup.
Blaze travelled to Nottingham for their final game of the Challenge Cup group stage knowing that a single point would send them automatically through to the last four and they got the perfect start when defenceman Connor Russell opened his account for the club at 2.09, firing past Panthers goalie Kevin Carr with Matthew Gleason providing a strong screen.
Nottingham found themselves in penalty trouble just after the five-minute mark, but Blaze weren’t able to capitalise on the extended 5-on-3 opportunity. Shortly after, the Panthers failed to convert on their first powerplay before the game settled into a five-on-five battle for the remainder of the period. The hosts had the better chances, none clearer than late in the frame when Blaze netminder Mat Robson pulled off the save of the period to deny Nottingham with 1:30 remaining.
Grayson Constable had a wide-open chance to double Coventry’s lead just 29 seconds into the second period, but Carr came up with a big stop. The Panthers goalie was then forced into another strong save to deny Sam Ruffin, as the visitors came out flying to start the middle frame.
On their third powerplay chance, Blaze captain Kim Tallberg restored the lead, putting home a looping puck in tight at 36.59.
Their momentum was halted at 24.26 when the Panthers capitalised on their second powerplay, David Noel’s shot being redirected into the net by Tim Doherty to tie the score at one. Robson was called into action again just before the halfway mark, denying Doherty on a breakaway to keep things level.
Mack Stewart thought he had made it three for Coventry early in the third, but his wraparound effort was sensationally stopped by Carr with a diving save.
Needing two goals to overtake Blaze for the automatic qualification spot, the Panthers went on the powerplay with nine minutes remaining, but Kevin Moore’s determined Coventry side dug deep to keep them out.
With Carr pulled for the extra skater, Ollie Betteridge found the tying goal with 41 seconds left to send the game to overtime – but by then, the Blaze had already done enough to guarantee their Semi-Final place.
In overtime, Colton Saucerman was denied by Carr on a big opportunity before the Panthers were awarded a powerplay in the final minute of extra time, though they couldn’t find a winner.
With no goals in overtime, the game went to a shoot-out. Matthew Marcinew and Mitch Fossier scored for the Panthers, earning them a 2-1 shoot-out win and a 3-2 overall victory.
The shoot-out success was also crucial for Nottingham, who knocked the Cardiff Devils out of Semi-Final contention with the two points. The Panthers will now face the runner-up of Group B in a winner-takes-all play-in game.
Photo credit: Panthers Images
