GLASGOW Clan captain Zack Fitzgerald insists his team are still fighting for third place in the Elite League - despite seeing their hopes fade with a 4-0 home loss to Nottingham Panthers.

Their crippling run of form continued as they were shutout for the second time in the space of six days, with the poor run extended to six straight losses with only two games left to turn it around before the play-offs.

But Fitzgerald remained defiant despite the latest loss that will see them out of the running for third if the Panthers win in Fife on Sunday.

“It wasn’t a good night for us in a game we were looking to get back to winning for again.,” he said. “We had chances on the net, but just couldn’t find a way through.

“The guys are still working hard to turn it around and we’ve got a big two games to come. It can get to a point where you’re gripping the stick a little too hard. No-one is giving up in this room.”

A first period effort from Matt Stanisz got a touch from Craig Peacock, however the puck ended up on the wrong side of the post, but causing enough concern for Garnett to scramble across his crease to deal with it regardless.

Panthers took the lead on the powerplay as Luke Pither’s pass found Jon Rheault in the centre, who managed to get the time and space to turn on goal and prod the puck under home goalie Joel Rumple to open the scoring.

It was a fast start to the second period as Clan looked to get back on level terms, with Rasmus Bjerrum and Craig Peacock both denied, but four minutes after the restart, the visitors were two up.

Mark Hurtubise played into the centre, but the home side couldn’t quite clear their lines, allowing Dylan Richard to swoop in and finish off into the empty net to double the lead.

Pither added a third to pile the misery for the home team when Alex Bolduc’s pinpoint pass found the attacker in the centre and he sent a wrist shot into the roof of the net, before adding his second late on with a short-handed goal to kill off any last hope Clan had of getting in the game.