Nottingham Panthers lift a record ninth Challenge Cup in overtime thriller

Ice hockey nights at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena are rarely quiet, but the 2026 Challenge Cup final was something special. In front of a full house on 18 March 2026, Nottingham Panthers beat Coventry Blaze 3-2 in overtime to win the competition for a record ninth time.

It was a final that swung back and forth. After a goalless first period, in which Panthers netminder Kevin Carr and Blaze goaltender Mat Robson were both kept busy, Coventry went ahead early in the second through Mike Pelech.

The Panthers responded later in the period when Mitch Fossier, assisted by Josh Tetlow, finished in the slot to level the scores. Early in the third, after Chase Pearson won a faceoff, Jakob Stridsberg put Nottingham in front with a shot through a screen.

Coventry refused to go away. On their only powerplay of the night, Elijah Barriga tied the game with just over eight minutes left in regulation, and the final went to overtime.

Didrik Henbrant settled it at 11:29 of overtime with a top-shelf finish, with assists from Fossier and Bryan Lemos.

The cup was the highlight of a strong 2025-26 campaign. The Panthers finished third of ten teams in the Elite League with 72 points, and they went into the season as defending play-off champions. Their play-off run ended at the quarter-final stage against Manchester Storm, but the Motorpoint Arena still played host to the Elite League play-off finals weekend in April 2026, underlining Nottingham's place at the heart of British ice hockey.

For supporters, though, the image that will last is Henbrant's winner and a full arena celebrating another piece of silverware for the black and gold.

The 2026-27 season is now under way, and fixtures, tickets and club news can be found on the Nottingham Panthers website.