Belfast Giants have to settle for a split series in Nottingham against the Panthers
The Belfast Giants extended their lead at the top of the Elite League with a 3-2 road win over the Nottingham Panthers in the first of their weekend double-header at the Motorpoint Arena.
Brandon Whistle hit three for the Giants on Saturday night.
“It was two top teams going at it tonight, and I thought the game was a tough one that could have gone either way,” said hat trick hero Whistle.
“I thought we were good. There are some things we need to be better at – I think we gave them some chances we shouldn’t have and need to clean up.”
Belfast scored the only goal of the opening period on the power play as a Scott Conway shot from the point was tipped in front by Whistle at 14.19.
That lead held until 2.55 into period two when Nolan Volcan controlled a pass neatly with his skate and fired past Alexis Gravel to tie the game.
“We hung in there but it wasn’t our best game,” said Volcan. “They’re a good team - any time you play them you have to match them. We stuck around in the game but didn’t capitalise on a couple of chances we had.”
The Giants thought they had gone ahead when Ciaran Long poked the puck over the line, but the goal was waived off after Nottingham challenged for goalie interference. Whistle did restore Belfast’s lead when Kevin Carr failed to cover the puck and the forward reacted quickest to put the loose puck home at 36.16.
Just 4.45 into the third, Matt Alfaro got the final touch in front of Gravel to make it 2-2. Belfast were back ahead with 12.27 to go as JJ Piccinich wristed home from David Goodwin’s drop pass after a turnover in the Panthers’ zone.
“Every team in this league matters,” added Whistle. “You can’t take nights off. Gravel has been great for us – he stepped up tonight and did a great job.”
That goal proved to be the difference, with Whistle then scoring into an empty net with 33 seconds left.
“Belfast did a good job of trapping up, and a few times we maybe didn’t make the right choice with the puck,” added Volcan. “I think if we clean that up tomorrow we’ll have success.”
Sadly the second night didn’t quite go with the way the Giants had been hoping it would as the Panthers made it a split home series with 5-3 win.
Mitch Fossier put the Panthers ahead just short of the eight-minute mark, but two quick goals before the break put the Giants in front. Nicolas Guay tied it at 17.19, with Piccinich then giving the visitors the lead with 47 seconds left in the period.
A defensive mix-up led to Chase Pearson tying the game 5:57 into the second, before Didrik Henbrant put the Panthers back ahead at 35:09.
Piccinich tied the game again 17 seconds into the third, but two goals in under three minutes swung the contest firmly the way of the hosts. Fossier’s second of the night restored Nottingham’s lead at 44.52, before Tim Doherty scored their fifth at 47.32, which proved enough to secure the two-goal win.
“I think it was really solid from our group. It was important that, after last night’s game, we all gave a little bit more,” said Panthers forward Matt Spencer. “Everybody in the room knows what’s on the line and we need to beat this team every time we play them. The response was fantastic and I’m really glad we got the job done in front of our own fans.”