Bryan Lemos scored 25 seconds into overtime to send Nottingham Panthers into their first Challenge Cup Final since 2016 with a 5-4 aggregate win over Sheffield Steelers on Wednesday night.
A crowd of 9,086 at the Utilita Arena saw the Steelers fight back from three down on aggregate to send the game to overtime, but the visitors take the win in sudden death OT.
“It was a good night, I don’t think it was our best hockey but we found a way to get it done and that’s all that matters, we’re moving on!” said OT hero Bryan Lemos. “It seemed like it was the opposite from last week. A week ago we were buzzing and playing great, and tonight we came up against a really good team who were on their game.”
Sheffield struck first, and in dramatic fashion, with a shorthanded goal to open the scoring. Mikko Juusola pickpocketed a Panthers defenceman to send himself in alone on Kevin Carr, deking once before finishing into the open net to register the Steelers’ first goal of the tie.
Nottingham responded on the same powerplay, however, as Matt Marcinew fired a one-timer past Matt Greenfield to restore the Panthers’ three-goal aggregate cushion.
In the second, the Steelers pulled one back on the night during a powerplay when a scramble in front of the Panthers’ net saw the puck fall to captain Robert Dowd, who finished to cut the deficit with just under 27 minutes remaining in the tie. Moments later, strong forechecking from Evan Jasper forced a turnover in the Nottingham zone, and Dowd was found in the slot again to finish clinically and bring the aggregate score to within one.
“We put ourselves three goals in a whole, I thought we were the better team last week and tonight,” said Steelers’ Evan Jasper. “We won the game 4-1 and put ourselves in a position to win the tie, it was all we could do and we have to be proud of that effort, but it stings to not get to that Final.”
Early in the third period, the Panthers were handed back-to-back penalties. Matt Alfaro was called for holding 32 seconds in, and 22 seconds later Brendan Harris received an unsportsmanlike conduct minor following protests with his stick in the direction of the game officials. With a two-man advantage, the Steelers worked the puck to Mitchell Balmas, who fired past Carr to level the tie on aggregate.
The Panthers did have chances in the closing stages as they battled their way back into the game, but neither side could win the tie in regulation.
“It’s frustrating when you feel like you’ve out-shout and out-chanced them and you can’t put the puck in the net,” added Jasper. “We had a bunch of Grade As and fell victim to a hot goalie. Matt Greenfield also made some amazing saves to keep us in the game and get us to that point, there were two excellent goaltenders tonight. But this definitely stings.”
A 10 minute, 3-on-3 overtime period followed. However, it needed just 25 seconds for Lemos to flick the puck over Greenfield from close range and win the tie for the Panthers.
“It always feels good!” said Lemos of his OT winner. “But I have to give this to Kevin Carr. He was tremendous tonight and I think he’s a big reason why we’re going to the Challenge Cup Final.”
Matt Marcinew celebrates his goal (Photo: Hayley Roberts)