Flames Extinguished as Panthers Hit Six

Published on: 5 Oct, 2026
Updated on: 5 Oct, 2026

A rough start for Flames saw them behind by a pair of goals before the night was two minutes old and they never fully recovered.

They saw out the remainder of the contest in a trailing position until time wound down on a 6-3 Challenge Cup defeat at The Spectrum against Nottingham Panthers.

Chase Pearson and Spencer Naas did the immediate early damage with goals 21 seconds apart just after the opening minute.

Cole Sanford got one back at 7:09. Panthers answered that one with Pearson’s second of the evening at 14 minutes but Sanford’s second, this one on a power-play, 57 seconds before the end of the frame, sent Flames to break just a goal off the pace.

Flames Defenceman Travis Brown battling with Panthers forward Max Grondin during Sunday’s game. John Uwins

After killing a penalty to start the second, and less than four minutes into the frame, Naas’ second of the night re-stored the visitor’s two-goal cushion. Jack Jacome pulled it to a single again at 25:23, but Miikka Pitkanen on a Panthers power-play inside the last three minutes of the set had them again up a pair.

Early in the third, Panthers widened the gap off the stick of Zach O’Brien and that was the final goal entry of the contest leaving Flames three goals adrift at the sound of the final buzzer.

Justin Fazio made 25 saves on 31 shots against Mat Robson for Panthers who kicked away 36 of 39.

“That was a tough one,” said assistant coach Andy Hemmings. “Going two-nil down was not the ideal start for us, but we liked our fight back.”

“We were still in it, down just a goal, after the first but we just felt like we couldn’t get going and just one of those nights that proves this league is a tough league and anyone can beat anyone. You have to be ready to go right from the start.”

Challenge Cup Standings