So close, yet so far, for Danny Stewart’s Nottingham Panthers.

A three-goal, first leg deficit, proved too much to overcome in the end for the eight-times Challenge Cup winners, bowing out at the last, in midweek, behind a roaring, Panthers Nation.

Earlier this month the Panthers made the trip to Northern Ireland, and were promptly sent home on the back of a 3-0 defeat against the Belfast Giants, goals on that night coming from Mark Cooper, Ciaran Long, and Jordan Kawaguchi, the visitors shipping two in the first period.

Now, with a strong field lining up for this years’ playoffs, it’s been nine years since the Panthers lifted a domestic trophy, eight since any silverware was lifted, with a Playoff and Challenge Cup double coming in 2016, defeating Cardiff Devils 1-0 in OT in the latter.

The Panthers’ last silverware lifted came the following year when, in early 2017, they reached the pinnacle when lifting the IIHF Continental Cup, following final round battles with Beibarys Atyrau (Kazakhstan), Odense Bulldogs (Denmark), and Ritten Sport (Italy).

Those heady days for the Panthers, days which would see an enjoyable, five-in-a-row in the Challenge Cup (2010-14), are already starting to seem a lifetime ago, even more when you add the lost years of the pandemic into the mix.

This season, whether it be in the Elite League, or in the Challenge Cup, Stewart’s Panthers have afforded the Panthers Nation something to shout about, winning streaks lighting up the Motorpoint Arena night-after-night, victories that had the Trent bubbling with the raptures emanating from those cheering on, believing.

It’s been a long journey in this seasons’ Challenge Cup as well, thirteen games all told, dating back to the season opening, 4-0 success, away to Manchester Storm, on 13 September, with Swede Didrik Henbrant notching the Panthers’ opening score of the season.

The opening month of the Challenge Cup campaign began with four straight victories, and five wins from six outings, as the Storm success was quickly followed by wins over Guildford Flames (twice) and Coventry Blaze (twice), that loss, in a seven-goal thriller with the Panthers’ rivals, 2024 Grand Slam winners, Sheffield Steelers.

By this time, the halfway point of the group stage, Panthers captain Sam Herr was leading the way with five goals, and Tim Doherty four; however, the second half of the group stage would see the wheels wobble a little, the Panthers losing three in five with the last group game seeing a 6-4 loss in Cardiff, against the Devils, in the run-up to Christmas.

That ten-goal thriller would see Ollie Betteridge, Tim Doherty, Sam Herr and Mitch Fossier all put the puck between the pipes, Herr taking his tally to eight, and Doherty six, as a play-off berth versus Glasgow Clan shone around the corner.

A 5-1 home success against Clan in mid-January put the Panthers into that semi-final, double-header, with Belfast Giants, goals flowing from Herr (ninth) and Fossier, Matt Alfaro’s fifth of the campaign, Cooper Zech and Hugo Roy.

This months’ two clashes with the Giants would see that 3-0 reverse in Belfast on 12 February, before last nights (26 February), 2-0 win at the Motorpoint, which, in the end, saw the Panthers come up agonisingly short.

Following a tight, nervy first period, with neither side breaching the others’ defences, with both netminders, Jason Grande (Panthers) and Jackson Whistle (Giants), standing tall; the Panthers though, took the lead, on the night, midway through the second period when Zsombor Garat stepped inside, on a powerplay, and smashed the puck home.

A scoreless second period, and with the Panthers Nation on the edge of their sides, the overall deficit was reduced to one at the start of the third following a trademark effort from Cooper Zech, but somehow, it was all the Panthers’ offence could muster.

As the contest ticked into its closing minutes, Stewart et al, on the Panthers bench, took out Grande in favour of the extra skater in order to throw it all at the Giants, but, in the end, it was all in vain, a 2-0 win being a bitter-sweet ending to what has been, on the main, an exciting, enjoyable, Challenge Cup campaign.

For the Giants, it’s a Challenge Cup final clash with Cardiff Devils, for the Panthers, all eyes are now on locking in a berth in the Elite League Playoffs; presently sitting in third place in the standings, and with both the Giants, and the Steelers, having qualified, there’s now thirteen league games to circumnavigate.

Next up for the Panthers, this coming weekend, is a Scottish double-header, hosting third bottom Dundee Stars on Saturday (1 March), followed by a trip to bottom placed Fife Flyers on Sunday (2 March).

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @PanthersIHC second leg action which Nottingham won 2-0.