LEAGUE

The Superleague had been reduced to 2 home and 2 away games. This was due to the intention to introduce a new competition which would include opposition from the continent. This however failed to materialise. It was essential to get off to a good start in the much shortened league competition. This Panthers duly did and by the beginning of November were on the heels of leaders Manchester. 
The cross channel competition failure saw the start of a new competition between the Superleague clubs sponsored by the Daily Express. Panthers first game in the new competition saw them play old favourites Sheffield Steelers. This resulted in a 9-1 home win and Panthers fans were in heaven, walking around for days wearing cheesy grins. Successive narrow home losses against Devils & Eagles soon wiped away those grins. The latter game exploded in controversial circumstances when referee Lehtonen awarded the Eagles a crucial goal after consultation with linesman Folka a couple of minutes after the original incident. This caused the Panthers to lose their composure and go on to give up two, 5 on 3 powerplay goals as they finally went down 6 - 5.
At the end of November Panthers lost Jamie Leach & Neil Morgan to injury. No sooner was Leach back than Mike Bishop went out with what appeared to be a serious back unjury. The team though continued to play well and two close road wins against the Storm in both ISL & Express Cup saw them rise to the top of the ISL and make up ground in the Cup. 
Just before Christmas, Panthers fans were cheered by the news that a new signing had been made. Mike DeAngelis a 31yo American/Italian with seven years international Pool A, and two Winter Olympic games experience, had played the previous season with Lugano in the Swiss league. DeAngelis received a rude introduction to British Hockey after a disappointing team performance, a 6-3 home loss against the Storm.  
Panthers went to Steelers the next night and ended up being involved in a bench clearing brawl. Referee Rowe ejected seven players. Panthers were leading 4-0 at the Arena when fighting broke out all over the ice, all the players being involved bar the four goalies who held a union meeting at centre ice. The penalty count reached 301 minutes, an ISL record. The Nottingham Evening Post reported Mike Blaisdell as saying :- "It was not in our interests to disrupt the game and it is quite clear who started it. When Sheffield came off their bench to gang up on one of my players, there was little else we could do. We showed great character in the face of intimidation." Panthers lost Nienhuis & Sebastian, Steelers - Ware, Beaulieu & Allison, before the cooling off period imposed by Rowe. Laxdall & Steelers skipper Wilson were ejected later. Panthers went on to win 5-0, with ex Steeler Jamie Leach netting the final goal. In the process Netminder Trevor Robins became the first visiting goalie to shut-out the Steelers at home.
At the end of the year and into the start of 98 the injury front took a turn for the worse as first Steve Carpenter and then "Wags" joined long term victims Bishop and Morgan, thus reducing Panthers to four "D" men. Bishop joined the warm up prior to the Jan 3rd Express Cup game at home to Bees, but did not ice. Panthers went on to lose this game 4-1. It was the old story at home as the Bees were comfortably outshot. Bees had a couple of lucky bounces and that, as they say, was that. 
On a lighter note, Panthers played a challenge game against Kingston Hawks, with NHL Hall Of Fame star Reggie Leach turning out at the age of 47, to play alongside son Jamie.
At the end of January Panthers faced a crucial weekend in their quest for the league title, at home to Cardiff then away to Ayr. In the former, Devils took a 5th minute lead which they stubbornly hung onto until the 51st minute when two goals in 12 seconds, by Morgan & Leach, saw Panthers in front. Derek Laxdall scored an ENG to close the proceedings, but it had been a close fought exhausting game in which coach Blaisdell felt able to use only 13 skaters. 
The following evenings' game at Ayr proved, for a team with three absentees and numerous walking wounded, one game too many. The resultant 8-1 defeat probably ended Panthers title dreams along with several others in the chasing pack, who must have been praying for a Panthers win.
By the start of January Panthers hopes of winning the league crown had by all but disappeared and their progress into the Express Cup semi finals required an away win at the Bison. With DeAngelis now in Japan with the Italian Olympic team, Bishop dressing but not taking a regular slot. Morgan having broken a thumb shortly after coming back from a wrist injury, Hunt and perhaps crucially Robins out for the remainder of the season and Dallman carrying a groin strain, things looked grim. However Panthers produced a stunning display of counter-attacking hockey to register a 9-3 win and book a semi final place.
At the same time that the Express Cup came to a close the League programme ended. Panthers suffering injury problems struggled toward the end of the campaign but ground out an overtime 3-2, away win, over Basingstoke Bison to end the League season. Kraig Nienhuis hitting the overtime winner.

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