Ice Hockey: Hadden's five as Panthers pounce

GREG HADDEN plundered no fewer than five goals as Nottingham Panthers beat in-form Bracknell Bees 6-5 after over-time to remain unbeaten in the Sekonda Superleague.

The 27-year-old Canadian orchestrated a third-period revival before bagging the winner on 69:30 to sting the Bees, whose over-time point was enough to take them to the top of the table.

Bracknell went into the final 20 minutes 5-3 up after taking the second period 3-0. Barry McKinlay claimed two and Chris Brant the other on 38:26, which led to Trevor Robins replacing Mike Zanier for Panthers at the interval.

Hadden completed his hat-trick, forced over-time with the game-tying goal and then scored the winner. Earlier, Sal Manganaro and Hadden struck in the first period and Paul Adey added another as Panthers led 3-2.

It was a case of after the Lord Mayor's show for Manchester Storm as they came crashing down to earth with a 4-2 defeat at Newcastle Riverkings. Storm beat Italians Bolzano in the European Hockey League in midweek, but Kurt Kleinendorst's team were hit by a storm of their own as Newcastle netted four unanswered goals for their first Superleague victory of the season.

Markers from Kris Miller and Rick Brebant appeared to have put league leaders Manchester in a commanding position at the start of the third period, but a double from Newcastle's Kevin Conway, the second on the power play, was immediately followed by a superb solo effort by Eric Royal. Mike Bodnarchuk put the game beyond doubt 74 seconds from time.