The match that was...

Devils 2 - 4 Panthers - Final

It was a disappointing result for the travelling Cardiff Devils’ supporters last night, as the visiting Red Army suffered a devastating 4-2 defeat to Corey Neilson and his Nottingham side.  Although Neilson, as well as several other Panthers, did not ice – due to injury- the Panthers looked incredibly strong throughout the game.  Whether it was due to the return of Gui Lepine or the fact that Anthony Stewart, NHL forward, made his home debut for the club, they demonstrated why they were crowded the Playoff champions last year.

Nottingham got things off to a quick start, with Ling scoring his first of three, showing off why he was awarded the Man of the Match award, just six minutes in.  A couple of penalties for both sides followed, although neither was able to capitalise on the advantage.  There seemed to be a lack of the physically behind the Welsh side, maybe due to the fact that hard hitter Max Birbraer is still out on suspension.  The period finished by for Ling’s second goal, putting Nottingham two goals ahead going into the second.

At the beginning of the second, it seemed that Cardiff were turning the tables, with hot shot Mac Faulkner scoring in the 22nd minute to bring his team back into the game.  A bit of action followed as goal-scorers Faulkner and Ling partook in some handbags, but nothing really came of it.  But it seemed that the Panthers weren’t going to let anything disrupt their night.

Just four minutes after the Devils’ first goal, Francis added to the Panthers’ total, giving them a 2-goal lead over Cardiff.  They continued to dominate but, despite several powerplay opportunities for both teams, the score stayed at 3-1 going into the final twenty.

The third was definitely one for the threes; just three minutes in, Ling scored his third goal, giving Nottingham even more breathing space with a three-goal lead.  The Devils managed to close the gap to two, after Phil Hill slotted one passed Kowalski, but could not get level or push ahead.  With an fantastic display of defending from tender Osaer and brother Mark and Kenton Smith, the Devils’ managed to scrape through without any other goals.  Final score in the NIC: 4-2 Panthers.

Despite the loss last night, the Red Army are shaking it off, and looking forward to the weekend, when we take on the Sheffield Steelers at the BBT (Puck-drop: 7:07pm).  Get down to the bay and cheer on our boys!  Let’s Go Devils!

You can read more on Holly's blog here http://theworldofsportbyateengirl.blogspot.com/