Braehead bomb out of Challenge Cup after mauling by Panthers

Braehead Clan crashed out of the Challenge Cup on Saturday night following a 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Nottingham Panthers.

John Tripp’s side had already focused their attentions on league duties, but still headed south hoping to pick up a result against a side who recently reached the last 16 of the Champions Hockey League.

Clan held their ground well in the opening session as the two sides went in goalless following a tight opening period.

Tripp’s men looked to push ahead in the second period and were gifted a gilt edged opportunity at the start of the second period when Tyler Scofield was sent flying after being hooked by Stevie Lee.

Clan were awarded a penalty shot as a result but Scofield couldn’t make it count as Patrick Galbraith made the save in the Panthers goal to ensure that the deadlock was yet to be broken.

Galbraith’s heroics were finally rewarded at the other end of the ice shortly afterwards as Dan Sprang opened the scoring with a rasping drive into the top corner of the Clan goal.

But Braehead hit back straight away as Ryan Potulny levelled the tie after being teed up by Brendan Brooks to make it 1-1.

Despite the quick-fire reply, Panthers seized the advantage and soon raced away with the points.

Alexander Mokshantsev finished off of a rebound, with Ryan Nie left with no chance of stopping the go-ahead.

Robert Farmer then added the hosts’third goal of the game with a blasted strike beyond Nie to open up a two-goal advantage at the end of the middle period.

And the third session proved to be a foregone conclusion as Corey Neilson’s side took control by killing the game off with two more goals.

Mark Derlago struck the first with a low rebound shot, before Evan Mosey completed the scoring as Panthers progressed to the next round.