Nottingham Panthers’ clean sweep as Fife Flyers hand 17-year old a league debut
Fife Flyers hopes of wrapping the season within a win over every Elite League team ended on Friday night.
Nottingham Panthers were the only side they had failed to defeat, and they saw that sequence continue as Danny Stewart’s side skated to a comfortable 6-2 victory at the Motorpoint Arena in front of a crowd of 6500.
They barely had time to skate off their bus legs before finding themselves 3-0 down, and although there were third period goals to come, the result wasn’t in doubt.
Michael Courts, Flyers’ interim coach, said~We had a rough first ten minutes shaking off our bus legs. We came back but the game was done - but we competed all the way to the end.”
Flyers iced without the injured Johan Porsberger and Mason Alderson, and handed an EIHL debut to 17-year old Cole Giannandrea. There was a late change in the nets with Christian Purboo getting the start. They also lost forward Josh Winquist late in the first period after he fell awkwardly in a collision.
Giannandrea was one of four junior players handed two-way contracts at the start of the season. Now in his second season with Kirkcaldy Kestersl, he has regularly played in older age groups throughout his junior career, represented Scotland and GB at international level and, last season, helped the Kirkcaldy side to reach the Scottish Cup final and Scottish National League play-off final. He also won the league and cup double at under-16 and under-19 level, icing with Fife Flames and Fife Falcons
Bryan Lemos opened the scoring for Panthers with 4:54 on the clock, He netted a second and Tim Docherty also hit the net give the hosts a 3-0 lead with just ten minutes played.
David Noël made it four just 76 seconds into the second period. Christian Purboo then stopped a Panthers two on zero move before a powerplay, caused by Garet Hunt’s abuse of officials penalty, led to Chase Pearson making it five with 3:31 left in the middle period.
Matt Marcinew made it six for the hosts 2:46 into the final period, before Fife got on the board through Keaton Jameson with just under 12 minutes to play. Ian Scheid added another after a good rush from Milan Lucic with 5:29 remaining to make it 6-2