Nottingham Panthers scored 4 unanswered opening period goals then weathered a ferocious Flames recovery effort that fell just short as the hosts held on for a 6-5 win over the visitors from Surrey.     

Cooper Zech got it started ta 8:13 ahead of Chase Pearson doubling it in the 12^th minute.  Flames managed to kill off a 3 on 5 penalty kill stretch but Mitch Fossier at 16:35 and Pearson’s 2^nd just 11 seconds from period time sent Flames to 2^nd with Taz Burman exchanged for Justin Fazio.

The visitors hit back early in the 2^nd to cut their deficit thanks to a Lewis Hook powerplay goal followed by a Cole Ully strike just over a minute later, but another Fossier answer 19 seconds from the close of the 2^nd had the home team again up by 3. 

Jake Coughler 72 seconds after re-start pulled Flames to 5-3, but Pearson’s hat trick marker on a 44^th minute powerplay again made it a 3 goal spread.  Mathieu Gosselin at 45:21 brought the visitors within a pair and a 56^th minute powerplay conversion by Josh Waller had his team a goal away. Flames best chance to pull even was on a late powerplay, the last bit of it with a extra skater in lieu of Fazio, but a full reply would not materialise before the evening timed out with Flames killing a penalty in the final 20 seconds. 

Taz Burman made 8 saves on 12 first period shots.  Justin Fazio faced 12 the rest of the way, making 10 saves against Jason Grande for Panthers who turned away 31 of 36.