A good-sized crowd at the Shelter witnessed the opening pre-season game of the new campaign, as the Storm and familiar foes Nottingham Panthers went toe-to-toe in a tightly contested encounter, with the visitors edging a narrow 3-2 victory.

The opening stages saw both sides easing their way into the game, the only moment of note being a sharp save from Grande to deny Gilmour on the doorstep. Moments later, however, Gilmour had his say, his deflection slipping through the wickets of the Panthers’ netminder to give the hosts the lead in the 16th minute.

The visitors emerged from the locker room intent on levelling the score, their increased impetus immediately apparent. A fine double save from Weninger initially frustrated the Panthers, but a defensive lapse soon left Armour unmarked in the slot, and he made no mistake in the 25th minute. Just minutes later, the Storm restored their advantage, making full use of a delayed penalty as Hinam crashed the net on the rebound and finished smartly from close range.

At the midway point, the Storm switched netminders, with debutant Drew DeRidder taking over between the pipes. The American made a superb double stop to preserve the lead, but mounting penalty trouble handed Nottingham an extended powerplay. They capitalised when Doherty rifled home a laser to tie the game heading into the final twenty minutes.

In the spirit of pre-season, the Panthers rotated their goaltenders for the third period, with the familiar figure of Kevin Carr taking over. The last stanza was evenly balanced, with few clear chances created by either side. Ultimately, the decisive moment came from the visitors, as Henbrant’s burst of speed gave him just enough separation from his marker to settle the contest and seal the win.

Coach Critchlow’s post-game reaction is now available on our YouTube channel.

Tickets for tomorrow’s pre-season fixture against the Hull Seahawks, as well as next weekend’s clash with the Sheffield Steelers, are available to purchase here.

Words by: Callum Schora