Panthers v Giants

Match Report

Nottingham Panthers were beaten 4-2 by Elite League leaders Belfast Giants at the Motorpoint Arena on Saturday night.

Kevin Carr started between the pipes with Luca Sheldon as back-up. Nolan Volcan returned to the line-up while Jason Grande and Jarod Hilderman were the healthy scratches.

Giants lead at first intermission
Matt Alfaro hit the right-hand post and also went close at the backdoor in the first period, while Tim Doherty's shot from the slot was saved by Alexis Gravel.

Carr made two saves to deny Ben Lake on successive Giants powerplays, but the visitors went ahead on the man-advantage when Brandon Whistle tipped-in David Goodwin's shot (14:19).

Volcan equalises but Belfast regain lead
Panthers hit back as Bryan Lemos and Didrik Henbrant combined to set-up Nolan Volcan who scored with a neat move on the doorstep (22:55).

Belfast had a goal disallowed for netminder interference and Carr came up big to deny Goodwin's shot from the slot.

But the visitors went ahead again when Whistle scored his second of the night as he dug out a rebound to beat Carr from close-range (36:16).

Giants secure vital two points
Alfaro levelled the game with a backhand shot from close-range following a goalmouth scramble (44:15), but JJ Piccinich's neat top-shelf finish put Belfast in front for a third time (47:33).

Panthers pushed hard for a third equaliser as Matt Spencer hit the pipes and Alfaro was denied on a third-period powerplay.

With Carr lifted for the extra skater, the Giants made sure of the two points as Whistle completed his hat-trick with an empty-net goal (59:27).