Nottingham Panthers won a breathless EIHL contest 5-4 in overtime on Saturday night, with Didrik Henbrant scoring the winner just 85 seconds into the extra period to deny Glasgow Clan a remarkable comeback. The Clan had twice levelled in the third period after trailing by two, and looked set to take it to overtime on level terms — only for a video review to confirm Henbrant's decisive strike.
It was a match that had everything: a shorthanded goal, two power play conversions apiece, a third period where Glasgow clawed back from 4-2, and a finish that kept 6,867 fans on the edge of their seats until the very last second.
Glasgow strike first, Panthers hit back immediately
Glasgow Clan drew first blood inside five minutes. Rylan Schwartz put the visitors ahead at 4:15, finishing from Brett Neumann's assist, and the Clan looked purposeful from the off.
The Panthers' response came in the most unexpected way. Fossier was penalised for tripping at 6:15, handing Glasgow a power play — but it was Nottingham who scored. Henbrant broke down the ice shorthanded and finished from Bryan Lemos at 6:41, levelling at 1-1 and instantly shifting the momentum. Killing a penalty and scoring from it is the kind of play that changes the feel of a game entirely, and the Motorpoint Arena felt it.
Fossier then atoned for his penalty in style, putting the Panthers ahead at 17:17 from Marcinew and Chase Pearson's assists. Glasgow's Felix Pare was penalised for boarding at 18:49, and Nottingham went into the break 2-1 up and very much in control.
The second period continued to swing Nottingham's way. Bryan Lemos made it 3-1 at 23:35, with Nolan Volcan and Henbrant assisting, and the Panthers were firmly in the driving seat.
Glasgow hit back on the power play. Joshua Tetlow's delay of game penalty at 26:24 gave the Clan their chance, and Tristin Langan converted at 26:51 with Neumann and Mick Messner helping — 3-2, and suddenly the visitors were alive again. Daniel Tedesco was penalised for slashing at 32:15, and Nottingham made them pay through Matthew Marcinew on the power play at 33:29 — Lemos and Brendan Harris with the assists — to push it back out to 4-2.
Two more Panthers penalties followed: Matt Spencer for holding at 35:40 and Cooper Zech for interference at 38:26. Glasgow couldn't convert either, and the second break arrived with the score at 4-2 to Nottingham.
The third period belonged to Glasgow in almost every respect — except the final one.
Neumann pulled one back at 46:49, assisted by Schwartz, to make it 4-3. With the Clan pressing and Nottingham looking nervy, Schwartz completed his two-goal evening at 54:02 — Felix Pare with the assist — to level at 4-4. In their last five games, Glasgow had shown the resilience to fight back from difficult positions, and they showed it again here.
Then came the final twist. Langan was penalised for high sticking at 59:03, putting Nottingham on the power play with under a minute left in regulation. They couldn't convert before the buzzer — but they didn't need to. Overtime arrived, and Henbrant needed just 85 seconds to win it, slipping home an unassisted goal that required a video review to confirm. The referees checked, the puck had crossed the line. Panthers win.
For Jason Grande, it was a nervy evening in the Nottingham goal but a winning one. Sami Aittokallio kept Glasgow in it through the third period and was outstanding as the Clan threw everything at the comeback — but there was nothing he could do about Henbrant in overtime.
A night to remember
Henbrant ends with a goal and a shorthanded goal — a performance that encapsulates exactly what made this match so compelling. Lemos finishes with two assists and a goal. Schwartz scores twice for the Clan. Neumann picks up three assists across the evening. In a game this tight, contributions came from everywhere on both sides.
For Nottingham, it is three wins from their last five in mixed form, but a victory of real quality. For Glasgow — three wins in their last four coming in — the overtime defeat will sting, though a point is something to take.