Another season and another Challenge Cup victory, the fourth for the Panthers who now match the Steelers record of four Challenge Cup wins. The win was quite bittersweet for me as I was in Berlin on a break and couldn’t be at the Odyssey. I must admit it is a very strange feeling not being at the final, I was a nervous wreck awaiting texts from the game and trying to find out information from the free wi-fi in the hotel lobby! So nervous was I that it took me over an hour to drink a pint of German beer (I refuse to say half a litre!) Funnily enough drinking beer was far easier once the win was confirmed!
I can’t comment on the game last night, but it is interesting to see that in the last four games, all against the three title contenders, we have only conceded 5 goals. If only we were back in October because that’s championship form. I feel that this is down to the magnificence of Craig Kowalski, by far the best netminder in the league, and the new defensive systems that the team have implemented. However the season is coming to its close, so I’m hoping this brand of defensive hockey will give us a big shout at a play-off title and then hopefully a serious tilt at the Elite League title next term. Let’s face it, we’ve just retained a trophy for the first time in our history, why not go the whole hog and win two titles in a season for the first time ever?
Anyway, I could wax lyrical all night, but a picture is often worth a thousand words, so I’ll leave you with this beauty.
The Cat's Whiskers 
I was horified when I saw the message that your were not giving live coverage but thankfully Radio Nottingham came to the rescue with full, nail biting ,commentary. Congratulations to the team, now we just have to get past Braehead- no problems there then.Thanks for all your coverage over the past season and fingers crossed for the play offs. As an afterthough, how an earth is K-Wall not in the frame for Elite League netminder of the year? As you say, when he is playing behind a decent defence his stats are as awesome as his performances.