DEVILS LOSE 3-2 ON THE ROAD IN NOTTINGHAM

The Devils travelled to Nottingham on Saturday night to take on the Panthers in league action.  Rok Stojanovic got the start in the Nottingham goal and Ben Bowns was in the Cardiff net. The Devils were without Evan Mosey (injury) and newcomer Brandon Alderson who is waiting for his work permit to be approved. 

The Panthers came out flying and got the on their back foot early.  The pressure resulted in the Devils taking an early penalty when Chad Pietroniro was called for hooking.  The Devils managed to kill the penalty, but the Panthers carried the momentum forward for the next couple of shifts and eventually opened the scoring at 5:12 when Stephen Anderson fired the puck over a sprawling Bowns to make it 1-0. 

Cole Sanford was called for hooking at 8:34 as he had to do everything, he could to break up another good scoring chance.  The Panthers nearly doubled their lead when Otto Nieminen beat Bowns but rang the puck off the post. 

The Devils got their first powerplay at 5:36 after Cole Sanford was hooked down by Jake Ryczek but despite some good chances, the Panthers killed it off and the scoreline remained 1-0. 

The Panthers were called for holding the stick as the period ended, which meant the Devils would start the second period with a two minute powerplay, but the Panthers managed to kill it off.

The Devils eventually tied the game when Ryan Barrow picked the puck off the stick off a Panthers’ forward in the neutral zone then fed Tyler Busch who beat Stojanovic through the five-hole at 23:59. 

The Panthers turned the game on its head when they scored twice in less than a minute in the final five minutes of the second period. They took the lead through Otto Nieminen at 35:16 then the next shift Hugo Roy made it 3-1 at 35:56. 

The Panthers controlled the run of play for the majority of the third period.  They seemed to be a step ahead to every puck and were shutting down every chance the Devils got.  A late penalty called against the Panthers gave the Devils a chance and Trevor Cox made it count, banging in a rebound to make it 3-2 with 1:05 left to play.  The Devils pressed in the final minute but to no avail and the Panthers hung on for the win.