GUILDFORD, 1 MARCH – With both teams coming off a loss, the Guildford Flames captain Matt Alvaro slotted the puck past the Nottingham Panthers for a 2-1 win in a fast-paced Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) match at the Guildford Spectrum on Sunday.
Flames forward Alvaro shot the puck past Panthers goaltender Jason Grande in a five on three power play for a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute, following concise play from fellow Canadian Jamal Watson and Matthieu Gosselin after Panthers Nolan Volcan visited the box for slashing.
“We probably could have had a bit more of a lead early, but we hung in there and did a great job to finish a 4 point weekend,” said the Flames’ head coach, Paul Dixon.
American international Joshua Waller regained the Flames’ lead in the 41st minute, assisted by Alvaro and Canadian international Jack Jacome, after intense gameplay between both sides.
The Panthers, who hold third place in the EIHL table, attempted to close the gap in the 15th minute with an almost certain goal from Cooper Zech which was denied by Italian national netminder Justin Fazio, who made a sharp cross to defend the other side of the net.
Only one minute later, forward Matthew Marcinew slipped the puck past Fazio for his 12th goal of the season, and to level the score in this heated match.
Volcan found the box again in the 39th minute for tripping, enabling another power play for the Flames.
However, this amounted to nothing after Ethan Strang’s shot was saved by Grande, leaving the second period goalless.
Dixon said: “We showed good perseverance through some tough moments.”
Fazio continued to make game-changing saves in the third period to deny the Nottingham Panthers from levelling with the home side.
The Flames take the win and prepare for their away game in Scotland on Friday, where they take on eighth place Glasgow Clan.
