The Genting Casino Coventry Blaze suffered a rare setback in 2026 as Elite League title contenders the Nottingham Panthers skated to a convincing 1-6 victory at the Skydome Arena on Sunday.
Coventry came out strong but a major turning point in the game came midway through the opening period when the Blaze were awarded the first powerplay of the night at 11.50.
Instead of using the man advantage to take control, Coventry conceded twice short-handed in the space of just 24 seconds – a blow they never recovered from.
The Panthers struck first at 12.02 when a slick passing play ended with Chase Pearson batting the puck out of mid-air past Mat Robson to make it 0-1. Nottingham’s penalty killers then broke away on a 2-on-1 moments later, and Nolan Volcan finished neatly from Pearson’s feed at 12.26 to double the visitors’ advantage.
The Panthers continued to dictate play and extended their lead to three at 15.42. Mitch Fossier fired a shot from the point which was expertly tipped into the net by the impressive Pearson, giving Nottingham a commanding advantage heading into the first intermission.
Coventry struggled to generate any sustained momentum in the second period, and the Panthers capitalised again at 29.07. Pearson turned provider once more, finding Fossier who fired home to make it 0-4.
The visitors put the game firmly out of reach in the third period with two quick powerplay goals. Tim Doherty struck at 46.07 before Matthew Marcinew added a sixth at 47.32 to cap a dominant Panthers performance.
Frustrations began to boil over as the game wore on. Blaze captain Kim Tallberg dropped the gloves with Nottingham’s David Noel, with both receiving five minutes for fighting. Shortly after, Coventry’s Zaine McKenzie and Panthers forward Jordan Kelsall were each assessed double minors for roughing.
Kevin Carr’s shutout bid was finally broken at 54.51 when Grant Mismash got Coventry on the board, finishing from Adam Robbins and Grayson Constable.
Tempers continued to simmer ahead of the sides’ upcoming Challenge Cup Final meeting. In the closing stages, Coventry’s Connor Russell and Nottingham’s Cooper Zech were handed 10-minute misconducts for unsportsmanlike conduct following an awkward hit by Marcinew on Mike Pelech.
The victory moves Nottingham level on 64 points with the Sheffield Steelers in second place in the Elite League standings, both six points behind leaders the Belfast Giants, who also hold a game in hand.
The Blaze sit seventh, level on points with the Glasgow Clan in eighth, with both sides three points behind the Guildford Flames in sixth.
Photo credit: Scott Wiggins
