Great piece of defence by Cohen to deny a golden scoring opportunity

Final minute left in the third period. Panthers go offside

Jesse Virtanen fires a backhand shot from in close but Kowalski gloves the puck. Three and a half minutes to go

It's a horrible giveaway by Mike Berube in his own zone, but Craig Kowalski is there once again, flashing the leather to deny Ville Vahalahti

Zapolski kicks away a Cohen wrister, the Lukko goalie's first action for a while

Panthers back to full strength

Toni Koivisto tips a point shot but Kowalski kicks it away

Schmidt clears the puck out of the play, but makes sure it hits the plexi first so no penalty coming

Mosey gets a chance shorthanded but his shot deflects off the stick of Mikkola and over the glass

A shot from the point is tipped and goes out of play behind Kowalski

Great reaction stop by Kowalski to deny a Vahalahti one timer

The tempo has slowed somewhat now. Janne Lahti bears down on the right wing lets rip with with a hard slapshot but Kowalski makes the save

Panthers ice the puck

Another great save by Kowalski. This time on Nurmi

Lukko go offside

Niskala gets a hard wrist shot away. Kowalski saves with the blocker and deflects it over the plexiglass.

Lukko almost get another. The slapshot is saved by Kowalski and the puck is there for the taking but Olli Sipilainen can't get his stick to it and eventually Mosey clears for the Panthers

Fantastic skill by Lachowicz opens up a lane. The Panthers' forward gets a shot away with traffic in front but Ryan Zapolski makes the save

Zapolski called into action once more. The Lukko goaltender is fighting the puck at the moment.

A fantastic pass by Lachowicz allows Higgins to plough towards the goal. He gets a shot away which Zapolski saves but Podlesak is first to the loose puck. The Czech forward doesn't get all of it though and it is saved.

Kowalski flashes the leather to stop Gagnon's slapshot. End to end play now

Colby Cohen misses the target after good work by Robert Farmer

Antti Jaatinen breaks his stick on his slapshot. Kowalski can easily freeze the puck. Lukko have started this period as they started the first. Have the Panthers got enough in the tank?

Panthers back to full strength

Another save by Kowalski. Lukko have started the second period in the ascendancy

Lukko back to full strength. They have 30 seconds of PP

Jacina has a shot saved by Zapolski

Mikkola's heavy shot misses the target

Martin Podlesak intercepts the puck and carries it all the way through the zone. Zapolski makes a good save on his wrist shot

Kousa fires a slapshot wide of the right post.

Vahalahti hammers a slapshot wide

Teemu Nurmi surges across the Panthers' blueline but his wrist shot is denied by the blocker of Kowalski

Panthers back to full strength. Benedict returns to the ice

Kousa gets a wrist shot away from the left faceoff circle but it is defleted up and out of play

Lukko back to full strength. Have a one minute powerplay

A fizzing slapshot by Mike Berube forces a good save out of Zapolski.

Robinson tries to catch Zapolski sleeping at the near post but the American makes the save. Lukko bring the puck the away way but Kowalski gloves the puck

Panthers take the puck offside. 1:41 left on the PP

Farmer feathers one in front of goal as he gains the zone. Lawrence goes diving for the puck and gets his stick to it but it sails just wide.

Kowalski kicks away a Jesse Virtanen shot

Icing called against Lukko

Kowalski makes a great stop on a Mikko Kousa point shot. Mikkola is digging around for a rebound in front of Kowalski which leads to some pushing and shoving after the whistle.

Janne Lahti is desperate for a second goal. He cuts in from the right wing and fires a hard wrist shot which Kowalski does well to glove without giving a second chance effort.

Kowalski called into action early on the penalty kill, getting down low to glove the puck.

Kowalski has to kick out a bouncing puck. Lukko have puck possession with a delayed penalty coming

Robinson fires the puck over the plexi-glass in the neutral zone.

Good glove save by Kowalski on a Niskala wristshot, the defenceman having done it all his own way, carrying the puck down the left wing.

Lee scored two goals in the whole of the 2013/14 season on the Panthers blueline. He now has two goals in this game alone!

Good save by Kowalski on a Toni Koivisto tip in. Lukko's second line has been especially dangerous tonight.

Great blocker save Kowalski on a Janne Niskala wrist shot.

Panthers ice the puck.

Nathan Robinson looks the most dangerous player for the Panthers he gains the zone and shoots just wide

Steve Lee's outlet pass cannons off of Janne Lahti's leg and Kowalski has to cover the puck

Great play by Robinson, bringing the puck from the left half boards to the slot. His back end effort is saved by Zapolski

A lucky bounce sends Vahalahti up in front of Kowalski all alone but he somehow manages to shoot wide. Panthers ice the puck

Gagnon fires a tight angle shot from the right wing but Kowalski catches it just below his shoulder

Kowalski kicks out Jesse Virtanen's wrist shot from the point. 2:02 remaining in the opening period.

Parent tries to get a shot away as he gains the zone, but it's blocked and Zapolski freezes the slow moving puck.

Very good set up play by the Panthers but just can't get a decent shot away. Lukko clear after 90 seconds of pressure.

Lee sets up Greg Jacna with a pass right into the forward's wheelhouse but it's a great pad save by Zapolski

Lukko ice the puck.

Great pad save by Kowalski on an Antti Jaatinen shot on the rush

Good play by Panthers, their first real offensive zone possession for some time. Benedict works the puck from behind the net to Evan Mosey on the right half-boards. His low wrist shot is easily dealt by Zapolski.

Janne Lahti gets his stick to a Harri Tikkanen slapshot from the right point but Kowalski makes another save.

Lukko get whistled up for offside.

Good effort from Farmer, leading the charge down the right wing. Zapolski forced to make one of his first saves of the game.

Kowalski covers the puck on a dump in. Still all Lukko.

Piiutlainen gains the zone, cuts to the centre and fires a fizzing wristshot which beats Kowalski but goes inches high of the crossbar.

First real chance for the Panthers as Nathan Robinson steels the puck in the neutral zone and gains the zone. His shot however, sails wide of the post.

Mikko Kousa gains the zone and fires a wrist shot which sails right into Kowalski's bread basket. Easy save.

Great work by Parent to dispossession Jonne Virtanen. It's lost behind the Panthers' goal though and Kowalski is forced to make another save.

Riskala gains the zone on the right wing, but his wrist shot deflects off a leg and goes over the plexi glass behind Kowalski's goal. All one way traffic at present.

Riska tries to lay a body check on Nathan Robinson but falls to the ice.

Lachowicz strays offside as Nottingham counter.

Great battling between Jonne Virtanen and Martin Podlesak. Virtanen has puck possession but can't do anything with it.

Good zonal pressure by Lukko but Benedict brings it clear and dumps for a change.

Good block by Colby Cohen after a defensive mis-hap. Lukko get another shot, but Kowalski's stops Lahti's wristshot.

Lukko take the puck offside down the right wing

Antti Jaatinen hammers a slapshot just wide of Kowalski's left post

First chance for Lukko. They gain the zone easily and Aaron Gagnon tries to jam it in at the near post but Kowalski gets his paddle down and makes the save.

Panthers dump the puck in but can't retain posession

Both team's top lines start. It'll be Farmer vs Piitulainen in the faceoff circle.

Less than a minute away from face-off. A decent crowd at the National Ice Centre to witness this historic game.

As do the Nottingham Panthers.

Lukko Rauma take to the ice.

The big team news going into this game is that the Panthers are without last season's top scorer David Clarke. Otherwise they look to be at full strength. Lukko go with Zapolski in goal and have reunited last season's prolific line of Gagnon-Piitulainen-Vahalahti.

Craig Kowalski starts for Nottingham. The Cramo Top Scorer's jersies in today's game are being worn by Robert Lachowicz (NOT) and Ville Vahalahti (LUK)

Starting lineups:

Nottingham Panthers: Kowalski (Raitums) – Schmidt, Landry, Mosey, Berube, Lee, Cohen, Oakford – Lawrence, Farmer, Robinson – Lachowicz, Langelier-Parents, Jacina – Graham, Benedict (C), Higgins – Lee, Podlesak, Boxill, Betteridge.

Lukko Rauma: Zapolski (Setanen) – Mikkola, Kousa, Niskala, Tikkanen, Jaatinen, Virtanen – Gagnon, Piitulainen, Vahalahti – T. Koivisto, Lahti, H. Koivisto – Virtanen, Nurmi, Ahtola – Riska, Sipilainen, Koski, Vauhkonen, Nieminen

Referees: S. Warshaw (AUT), T. Darnell (GBR) – L. Young (GBR), A. Dalton (GBR).

It’s a historic day in Nottingham as the Panthers are set to host one of the giants of European hockey, Rauman Lukko. The Liiga bronze medallists come to Nottingham with a long and established history, but it will be their first time playing against British opposition. The National Ice Centre will play host to one of the biggest days in British hockey in recent memory, as the Panthers will look to produce a result against their much-favoured Finnish opponents.

Lukko were defeated by Tappara in the Liiga semi-finals last season in seven games. Coincidentally, Lukko’s marquee summer signing was their conqueror’s captain, as 37 year old Ville Niemenen joined Lukko to provide a wealth of experience along with a quality scoring touch. Up front, the Lukko forward core would strike fear into the heart of any side in Europe, especially as last season’s top scorers Ville Vahalahti, Aaron Gagnon and Toni Koivisto were all retained. Furthermore, Lukko have bolstered their defence with the signings of Finnish national team regulars Janne Niskala and Mikko Kousa from Atlant Mytishchi and Jokerit respectively. Ryan Zapolski is another returnee, and the American goaltender will be looking for another solid season after posting a 0.926 save percentage in his first season in Europe.

It would be remiss to completely rule out the Panthers’ chances though, as last season’s Challenge Cup champions have bolstered their roster significantly. The Panthers have added considerably depth in all areas, whether it be the signing of former Latvian national team goaltender Martins Raitums to challenge long-time starter Craig Kowalski, or the depth signings of Evan Mosey and Sam Oakford on the blueline. Corey Neilson’s team has focused on adding players with experience from the best European leagues, and Nathan Robinson headlines a stellar group of forwards. The 32 year old Canadian has a wealth of experience from the AHL, Liiga and DEL, scoring 252 points in 331 games in the German top flight. Bryan Schmidt and Mark Lee also have DEL experience, and Martin Podlešák joins Nottingham with nearly 300 games experience in the Czech Extraliga on his resumé. Friday’s game will have some significance as the forward laced up 16 times for Lukko in 2008/09. Charles Landry was the Panthers big summer signing on defence, as the 23 year old blueliner called time on a promising AHL career to join the Panthers. Look for the Panthers British talent to have significant ice time against Lukko, as David Clarke and Robert Lachowicz especially, are key players and will be relied upon to score points. Clarke was the Panthers top scorer last season with 64 points.

Eurolivescores.com will have all the action as the puck drops at 20:00 CET (19:00 GMT), and a crowd estimated to be around 6,000 will be on hand to welcome Rauman Lukko to Great Britain and the CHL.

Welcome. This game starts at 19:00 BT, 20:00 CET, 21:00 EET.