Nottingham Panthers - Sixty Years - Twenty Moments

[cc77]

Should be interesting,

Thanks for that Doom

[Jasper]

Stef, knowing you, my guess is you are getting at the first game (v Solihull?) in 1980. I wasn't there so I can't nominate that but here's my 5 (dominated by home games in the old barn) - sorry it's a bit long


1. Panthers v Murrayfield 1989 play-offs. I was stood underneath the clock with God knows how many others who paid a fiver (or whatever it was) on the door. If a fire officer had seen how many people were in the building that night it would have been closed on the spot!


2. Panthers v Sheffield, Autumn Cup semi final, Halloween 1996 (first sesason of superleague). The night that 'Rocking All Over The World' took off big time, Derek Laxdal's second goal, which I think is possibly the best I've ever seen and the Robber in the sort of form that saw him take goal tending to a level we'd not seen before.


3. Wembley 1989. The biggest achievement of the modern era I'd suggest. I still remember wandering around Wembley car park with a daffodil that one of the girls had given me sticking out of my baseball cap and being applauded by fans on opposition coaches as they drove by. I was in the Castle when we got home and the call came up that the the players bus was back - you'd have thought there was a fire, the pub emptied so quickly. John T who ran the Cricketers at the time had a lock in upstairs and that was a hell of a party (from what I vaguely remember).


4. Panthers v Manchester, autumn cup semi final 1998. One of those classic backs-to-the wall displays that Blaiser got out of the team when he was here first time round. Trailing 3-2 from the first leg, horrendously short bench, players dressed who were half-fit, conceding the first goal to go 2 down on aggregate and then coming back from the dead. Rarely can there have been as much noise as when Kolesar tipped in Bish's slap from the left point.


5. A low note but, for me, hugely significant. Losing the league to that lot over the last two weekends of the 1994/95 season. Lost to Cardiff? at home on the Saturday of the penultimate weekend, had a chance to redeem that but lost away to Murrayfield on the Sunday night (I've had some long trips home after losses in Scotland but that was the worst by a long way). Capped it off by losing at home to them on the final Saturday and them winning the league on our bloody ice with Priestlay putting 5? past the clueless Steve Butler (only a couple of years later did Scott O'Connor tell me he wanted to come to us part way through that season but Blaiser told him he'd sorted out Steve Butler's off-ice behaviour - I nearly cried). Might all this Sheffield hoodoo stuff have been oh so different had they not won the league on our ice in only the second season of our rivalry?

[Ian]

Thanks, Jasper - you pretty much saved me the job of typing up most of my favourite memories! Although I will add a couple when I get time later in the week.

[Deleted]

jasper said:

Stef, knowing you, my guess is you are getting at the first game (v Solihull?) in 1980.

Nope.

[Baz]

It's killing me. Despite a clue like that, it's pulling a 3-3 draw against one of the top sides outside the NHL, Boxing Day 2001. Highly significant, but not one of my memories. I'm never quite sure how much effort these guys put in on foreign tours, but they beat the other UK opposition so I guess we did a job on them. Got Lorenz's stick signed by the whole Moscow team and Nieckars shirt from the game.

[Higgy]

'That' brawl February 2001, never forget that as long as i live

The Randall Webber hatrick in the second leg of the Cup v Storm, oh yes

Ahlroos getting winner up the road in the challenge cup final ;D

Last game at LPS, even though we lost was very emotional

Seeing the likes of Nick Boynton in a Panthers shirt

[Deleted]

baz said:

It's killing me. Despite a clue like that, it's pulling a 3-3 draw against one of the top sides outside the NHL, Boxing Day 2001. Highly significant, but not one of my memories. I'm never quite sure how much effort these guys put in on foreign tours, but they beat the other UK opposition so I guess we did a job on them. Got Lorenz's stick signed by the whole Moscow team and Nieckars shirt from the game.

It's not so much the result, just the fact they were here at all. It is still a source of some amazement to me that I sat in Nottingham and watched Moscow Dynamo play my team.

I guess it is of more significance to oldies like me who can remember 1980, at which time the prospect that one day we would play Moscow here would have seemed as remote a possibility as the NHL putting a franchise on Mars.

[Smudge]

stef said:

baz said:

It's killing me. Despite a clue like that, it's pulling a 3-3 draw against one of the top sides outside the NHL, Boxing Day 2001. Highly significant, but not one of my memories. I'm never quite sure how much effort these guys put in on foreign tours, but they beat the other UK opposition so I guess we did a job on them. Got Lorenz's stick signed by the whole Moscow team and Nieckars shirt from the game.

It's not so much the result, just the fact they were here at all. It is still a source of some amazement to me that I sat in Nottingham and watched Moscow Dynamo play my team.

I guess it is of more significance to oldies like me who can remember 1980, at which time the prospect that one day we would play Moscow here would have seemed as remote a possibility as the NHL putting a franchise on Mars.

And there was me racking my brain trying to remember a noteable moment in the club's history involving the Glasgow Dynamos. Best not give up the day job.

[rusty]

Most of the memories I would have listed are well covered already. My own top one was the playoff semi in Manchester against Ayr, we went 5 - 2 down with 5 mins to go, then Blaiser called an illegal stick. We scored on the resulting PP, followed by 2 more in just over a minute, Ayr called a timeout as they were just falling apart. Sixth period of OT and Carson (who else) calls the first penalty in OT against Mike Bishop, as both teams were just about dead on their feet by then, I thought this was the moment we would lose it. Instead Jeff Hoad collects a scrambled clearance and skates clear up the left wing, his shot is saved but the rebound comes straight back at him and he buries it. Our fans go mad. Ayr fans look mortified.

On a more sombre note, one memory that stays with me from LPS was the game against London Knights which followed the tragic death of the then mascot, Pantherman. Don't remember anything of the game itself, but pre match there was a presentation to his widow, and Trevor Robins (by then with the Knights) skated centre ice to present it. As he left the ice he lifted his shirt to wipe away his tears. Very poignant and sad moment in time, which left not many dry eyes in the old stadium that night.

[KimThePanther]

Remember folks - If you haven't already you have until Sunday at the very latest to get your nominations in.

[Baz]

stef said:

baz said:

It's killing me. Despite a clue like that, it's pulling a 3-3 draw against one of the top sides outside the NHL, Boxing Day 2001. Highly significant, but not one of my memories. I'm never quite sure how much effort these guys put in on foreign tours, but they beat the other UK opposition so I guess we did a job on them. Got Lorenz's stick signed by the whole Moscow team and Nieckars shirt from the game.

It's not so much the result, just the fact they were here at all. It is still a source of some amazement to me that I sat in Nottingham and watched Moscow Dynamo play my team.

I guess it is of more significance to oldies like me who can remember 1980, at which time the prospect that one day we would play Moscow here would have seemed as remote a possibility as the NHL putting a franchise on Mars.

Moscow Dynamo played at Fife and Murrayfield in 1990-91

[Deleted]

baz said:

stef said:

It's not so much the result, just the fact they were here at all. It is still a source of some amazement to me that I sat in Nottingham and watched Moscow Dynamo play my team.

I guess it is of more significance to oldies like me who can remember 1980, at which time the prospect that one day we would play Moscow here would have seemed as remote a possibility as the NHL putting a franchise on Mars.

Moscow Dynamo played at Fife and Murrayfield in 1990-91

I bow to your greater knowledge Baz.

I have no recollection of that at all, but in my Annual for that year it indeed confirms a tour of six clubs in September 1990. Moscow won all their games. at Durham 9-2, Telford 12-5, Cardiff 13-1, Fife 9-6, Murrayfield 14-1 and Whitley 20-2. The Annual describes the Moscow team as one of 'fringe players', which I don't think was the case in 2001.

[texpef]

Did anyone get to hear the Selmar interview and what was said? Anyone know if there is a link?

[dodit]

Randall weber's fabulous career.
Greg Hadden hammering chris slater

[grumpyminer]

Here's a silly one but it sticks in my memory because its my type of music.

It must be 3 seasons ago when the Steelers team came on to the ice to a song by Poison called "Look What The Cat Dragged In". The only time I have heard it used for that reason.

It still makes me chuckle...

Then there was rock legends Malcolm Young and Brian Johnson of AC/DC doing a puck-drop.

[grumpyminer]

From the 99-2000 season I recall Marcus Adolfsson making a massive centre ice hit against some big winger, leaving flat on the ice, top notch and legal ( could have been vs London Knights). Their enforcer grabbed Adolfsson from behind as play continued and started swinging. The Mighty Greg Hadden saw what was kicking off, skated across the ice at about 40mph and launched himself from about 10 feet onto the goon, landing 3 or 4 good punches whilst in mid-air. Hads got a Game penalty for 3rd man in and a standing ovation from LPS

[Deleted]

I tend to agree with all of the stuff that has been posted.
One of the things thats not been mentioned (i think) is that set to buy Shannon Hope (Cardiff) on Chris Kelland during the post game hand shake. He just sucker punched Chris and continued to punch the living daylights out of him, leaving him a bloody mess. Still dont know what that was about.

[Alf Garnett]

I think David Clarkes hat-trick (1 Even strength, 1 SH and a PP)last night might just get a few mentions.

[KimThePanther]

As I have to go out tonight, any further nominations must be made before 5.30pm this evening.

[KimThePanther]

That's all folks!

I'll now have a surf through this thread to make sure that I haven't missed any nominations out and then they'll be sent off to Stef.

[Deleted]

Phew.

This is hard work.