Left Panther: End of Season Review

This season was frustrating as the players demonstrated the skill and ability to do better when they exceeded expectations in the European Champions Hockey League in September. That form did not return in any consistent way and it was certainly not the hoped-for fairytale ending comeback to showcase the reign of Corey Neilson. He is still the most successful ever Panthers coach – winning fourteen trophies over his twelve years in charge – but it was a drab end to his last ever season. Likewise, the ending is an anticlimax for David Clarke, Panthers player and legend, who has retired.

Nottingham finished fourth in the Elite League and Cardiff took the prized champions’ trophy, both in exactly the same position as last year. Manchester had a great season under coach Ryan Finnerty’s guidance, only their third season back in the Elite League and they finished second, four points above the Sheffield Steelers. The points were so close between third and seventh place that Nottingham and Sheffield actually finished on identical points, but the latter had seven more wins in regulation time. Nottingham have finished a disappointing fourth or fifth in the league for the last five years, a sad decline since winning the league, Challenge Cup and Playoffs in 2012/13.

The last weekend of the season was an exciting finish with only first, second and eighth place secured in the league table and all others jostling for positions in the very last match, to try and get a better play-off seeding. Sheffield comfortably beat the Manchester Storm in Altrincham as the Storm had little to play for and Steelers bagged third place over Nottingham. Panthers were poised to win their third game in three nights in Scotland to take third or fourth place. Their opposition, Edinburgh had only won five games out of 56 this season, but took an early lead over Panthers 2-0 at the end of the first period. Panthers upped their game eventually, but waited until the third period to score two quick goals (Jeff Brown and Raphael Bussieres) to clinch a final win 4-3, fourth place in the league and a sigh of relief.

The Belfast Giants finished fifth, so Panthers faced them in the quarter finals of the Playoffs. It was predicted to be the closest quarter final of the four, which did not disappoint, plus Nottingham had some pride to restore after Belfast knocked them out of the Challenge Cup only a few months earlier. The first leg was in Belfast on Friday 30 March. Once again, Panthers started slow and went down 0-3 in the first period with Patrick Galbraith in net. David Clarke started the comeback seconds before the end of the first buzzer and clawed it back to 3-4 going into the home leg two days later.

The return leg was one of the most tense and exciting games of the season. Again, Panthers started slow and conceded two power play goals to Belfast, gifting them a 0-2 lead after twenty minutes and going 3-6 behind on aggregate. It was a bleak first period break where one wondered if yet another comeback was really possible. However, Panthers weren’t ready to lie down yet and goals from Mark Derlago started the flow. The game changer was a fantastic breakaway and clinical finish by the ever-fast Evan Mosey:

Brett Perlini tied the game and Yann Sauve whacked in a far-out slapshot, with four minutes to go. For the first time in the entire six periods of 120 minutes, Nottingham were in the lead. It only lasted for thirty seconds, as Giants hit back straight away and pushed the game into overtime. Three-on-three play opens up the ice dramatically and once again Belfast were completely dominant with multiple heart-stopping shots on Galbraith, who did a fantastic job of keeping them at bay while Nottingham fans watched through their fingers.

Finally the puck went down to the Giants end and Bussieres held it while the other two players made a line change. He got a stick to the face for his pains and a pending penalty. Alexander Mokshantsev wasted no time in firing the puck across the ice, giving a rebound to Dan Spang who beat the otherwise solid Jackson Whistle, Belfast’s netminder, to win the tie. Cue ecstatic celebrations from the Panthers team and fans in contrast to Whistle, who broke his stick on the goal post in frustration. The Panthers had literally forced their way into the final four teams to play at the finals weekend.

In the other half of the quarter finals draw, Manchester bizarrely threw away a 4-1 lead to be beaten in overtime by Fife who had not been leading at any point until then, and earned the right to represent Scotland in the final four. Sheffield had a closer than expected two games against Guildford, winning 9-7 on aggregate and firmly planted themselves in Nottingham’s way of progress to the final.

The finals weekend on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 April was a great celebration of ice hockey as usual, with fans coming from all over the country to watch, regardless of whether their team was there or not. The first game was Cardiff against Fife, with Cardiff expected to progress. However, it was tighter than expected and 0-0 at the end of the first period. Cardiff upped the pace when needed and ended with a comfortable 4-0 victory.

Next up was Sheffield versus Nottingham. The last time they played each other at finals weekend was in 2011 and Robert Lachowicz scored the winning goal against the current Sheffield netminder Erin Mustokovs, on his previous employment by the club. This year, the Steelers had the Panthers number, winning seven out of ten matches, with three shut-outs against us. This time, Nottingham came out firing and Alexander Mokshantsev scored after only 47 seconds. Panthers went 2-0 up thanks to Luke Pither and the orange support was pleasantly quiet for a while.

A controversial goal by Mathieu Roy, which went to video review, as the puck was in Patrick Galbraith’s glove, was eventually given, as it was over the goal line and the Steelers were in the game. Nottingham held on to lead 4-2. Sheffield came back with a power play goal to 4-3. Only 1 minute 39 seconds remained when, from out of nowhere, Steelers levelled at 4 all to push the game to overtime. A feeling of dread swept over the Nottingham supporters’ blocks, as Sheffield had won games in the last few seconds twice already this season.

Sure enough, three-on-three overtime and Nottingham were dominant for most of it. Sheffield got a chance after three minutes and John Armstrong (the player that literally knocked Miika Wiikman out cold in the Playoffs last season) went right up in front of net to fire it past Galbraith, giving him the game winning goal and causing heartbreak for Nottingham team, coach and fans.

Video highlights of the Steelers' win against the Panthers

The finals day was as cheerful as it could get for Nottingham considering the previous day. The team played against Fife for third and fourth place, which is renowned for not being a very competitive game. Mathieu Gagnon nearly started a fight when he took objection to a Fife player firing a puck in his face. There were goals a-plenty and Nottingham won 8-2. The game will be remembered for the celebrations and send off for Corey Neilson and David Clarke. The clock was unexpectedly stopped at five minutes, David Clarke’s number, and he received a standing ovation from the entire National Ice Centre with all twelve teams showing great sportsmanship. He then had one of the longest shifts of his career as he tried to score a final goal for Nottingham, but the Fife netminder, Andy Iles, evidently did not get the memo and made many great saves before he let one in. The remainder of the game was seen out with chants for Corey Neilson and he received a standing ovation too. It was an emotional end, marking the end of an era, as both leave the organisation for pastures new.

In the final, Cardiff were understandably nervous, having been at the finals weekend a record thirteen times, but never having won, losing seven times in the semi-final and five times in the final. Last year was probably still smarting, when Sheffield beat them in the second period of overtime with a sudden death goal to win 7-6.

But this time, Cardiff looked like the rightful winners from the off. They controlled the game and took the lead when Matt Pope scored in the second period, as cheers rang around the entire arena, all except the Sheffield supporters. Andrew Hotham scored a slapshot from the right wing to take it to 2-0. Eric Neiley scored one goal to give Sheffield some hope. Perhaps after seeing Nottingham’s fate the day before, Cardiff closed the game down in the final stages, despite finishing the game on a penalty kill with Sean Bentivoglio being sent to the penalty box for a very soft call of “roughing” with just under two minutes to play. Cardiff Captain Jake Morissette scored an empty net goal with just seventeen seconds left, to make sure there would be no repeat of any overtime antics. Cardiff are deserving winners and only lost the Challenge Cup to Belfast, otherwise having a clean sweep winning the League, Conference and Play Offs this season. 

The Panthers held an end of season awards to celebrate some of their successes, as follows:

The rumour mill now starts, firstly with who will step into the big shoes left by coach Corey Neilson’s departure. Pete Russell, GB coach, has just been signed by sister club the Braehead Clan, one step too far to warrant a move to Nottingham from his previous club, Milton Keynes, who finished eleventh out of twelve in the league. Most of the British players are likely to return as options are restrictive, so expect to see a return for Steve Lee, Robert Lachowicz, Robert Farmer, Ollie Betteridge and young Brits Josh Tetlow and Jordan Kelsall. Michael Garnett is signed up to a two-year deal, including studying at Loughborough University, so he will be back.

Other players have had exit interviews and it remains to be seen who will return and also who is signing them with no coach announcement to date. One key player to retain would be Luke Pither who was only with us for part of the season, but totalled 31 points in 24 games and has openly declared he would like to return.

For now, we will have to wait on more news, and the return of pre-season games, already being planned for mid-August and the return of the Elite League in September.

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