The Flyers visited the Nottingham Panthers for the second time this season on what was to be a poignant evening with the game being preceded by the ceremony to retire Adam Johnson’s #47 jersey. The visitors were down to the bare bones icing just 13 skaters with Austin Farley missing out through injury, he was joined on the sidelines by Brodie Kay, The other scratches were two way players Fynn Page, James Spence and Ben Brown with Shane Owen also given the night off with Jānis Voris starting in net. The home side scratched Tim Doherty and Matt Alfaro and gave a debut to youngster Thomas Palmer from the Peterborough Phantoms and also had Cooper Zech back in their line up after going out with an injury after just two games of the season.

The Panthers made the perfect start with an early goal inside the opening minute when Otto Nieminen was first to a puck that was dumped in off the back boards and he slid the puck across the crease before Janis Voris couldn’t react and Jordan Kelsall had a tap into the empty net. Voris was in action again in the 2^nd minute when he made a save on Sam Herr and moments later he denied Mitchell Fossier with his blocker. Ryan Bednard in the Panthers goal saw his first action in the 3^rd minute when the puck almost banked in off a Panthers skate but he stuck out a pad to make a save at the post. The Flyers were looking lively in the Panthers end of the ice and in the 4^th minute Bednard got his stick on the puck as Phélix Martineau took it to the net and the puck just wouldn’t quite fall for Tyler Heidt who would have had an open net. The Panthers quickly went the other way and Voris made a couple of saves in an all action opening to the game. In the 8^th minute Jordan Stallard stole the puck behind the net and Bednard snuffed out his attempted wraparound and followed that up by denying Ryan Foss on the rebound. Didrik Henbrant burst through the middle of the ice from the Flyers blueline in the 9^th minute but Voris shut him down. Heidt with a shot from the top of the circles in the 10^th minute glanced the puck off the outside of the post but the Panthers in transition created another chance as Fossier got in behind the visitors defence but was again denied by Voris who was standing tall. Moments later the Flyers keeper produced a clear contender for save of the week if not the month/season when he went across his goal and got a pad to a Reid Stefanson shot after a cross crease feed. Daniel Krenželok stepped in from the half boards in the 15^th minute and his shot was blocked which created a scramble around the Panthers net. In the 17^th minute Massimo Carozza on a 2 on 1 took the shot that Bednard saved but Kristoff Kontos was called for a slash on the play to send the Flyers to the power play. Martineau was first to test Bednard who spilled the puck and the Panthers keeper then shutdown Foss who spun and shot at the far post. A sweeping move by the Flyers saw Carozza feed the puck across the slot to Michael Cichy whose one timer was gloved by a sprawling Bednard as the Panthers completed the kill. In the final 30 seconds Fossier broke down the left wing and cut in on goal but Voris got his toe to the puck to clear the danger.

The Panthers had the first shot of the second period as Hugo Roy fired on net and Voris fought it off with his shoulder. In the 22^nd minute Foss created some space in the neutral zone and carried into the Panthers zone but his shot was easily dealt with by Bednard. In the 24^th minute a mishit shot by Jaakko Niskala fell perfectly for Fossier in the slot but Voris with a quick glove snagged the puck. A minute later a great leg extension by the visiting keeper stopped Stefanson as Martineau was called for a slash on the play. The Panthers took advantage on the power play to double their lead when Herr switched the puck over to Kontos who beat Voris just inside the post with a low shot from the high slot. The Panthers added another in the 27th minute after a controlled cycle in the Flyers zone with Henbrant feeding the puck over to Stefanson and he picked the top corner on Voris. In the 30^th minute Carozza broke into the Panthers zone but he fired high over Bednards crossbar. A minute later the Panthers goalie had to look lively as he made two saves from close in efforts by Lucas Chiodo. Patrick Kyte was called for a rough after Bednard had stopped his back hand effort. Almost halfway through the Panthers man advantage Logan Neilson was called for a rough around the Flyers net and the teams skated 4 on 4. Voris had to make a smart pad save on Henbrant as his blistering pace saw him burn down the ice. The Flyers returned to full strength for a short power play but Panthers completed the kill. Panthers were back on the power play in the 35^th minute when Heidt was called for tripping. Voris made a couple of routine saves as the Flyers completed another kill. In the 37^th minute Voris made a huge glove save on Kontos and then covered the puck up with a snow angel. The Flyers were again called for a penalty with a minute of the period remaining as Aiden Wilson got the gate for tripping Henbrant. With just 6 seconds remaining Henbrant saw his first time shot from the slot swallowed by Voris who was in good position.

The Flyers completed their penalty kill to start the third. In the 43^rd minute Stallard shot from the circles and Bednard made the save with his arm. A minute later Wilson was in good position but his first time shot in the slot was blocked by a Panthers leg. Krenželok ragged the puck in the Panthers zone and Bednard couldn’t hold his shot but the puck was cleared. Ollie Betteridge almost added to the home tally in the 46^th minute when he was in front of the net and picked up a loose puck but his shot hit the outside of the post. The Flyers went on the power play in the 48^th minute when Josh Tetlow was given an unsportsmanlike misconduct. Martineau forced a big pad save and Bednard then denied Chiodo with Kyte just flashing a shot past the post as the Panthers returned to full strength. Within a couple of minutes the home side scored twice with very similar shots beating Voris. Firstly Kontos from a Fossier set up went roof on the Fife keeper and Henbrant did likewise as he came in off the left wing and shot high over the blocker. In the 53^rd minute a 3 on 2 break by the Flyers saw Martineau’s shot blocked and then Bednard stopped Cichy as he covered up the puck. Voris made another stellar save in the 54^th minute on Nieminen but the puck was recycled and eventually landed at the stick of Betteridge who shot high into the net. A minute later and the Panthers missed the net on an odd man rush with just Voris to beat. The Panthers were on the power play again in the 56^th minute when Martineau slashed the glove of Nielson. Kontos was looking for his hat trick and the Fife keeper denied him then Fossier as the Flyers completed another kill. In the final minute Chiodo and Cichy combined with the latter scooping the puck over the bar from close range as Bednard preserved his shutout.

Pic Credits – Nottingham Panthers

Fife Flyers are next at home on  Sunday 15th December when they entertain the Coventry Blaze – tickets can be bought online here:  Tickets – Fife Flyers or look out on social media channels for box office opening times.