Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
ROUND-UP Stars impress despite losing play-offs semi
DUNDEE CCS Stars failed to reach the Elite League Play-Off Final, falling at the semifinal stage to Cardiff Devils who lost 6-5 to Sheffield Steelers in the final.
However t he Taysiders pushed the league champions all the way and came out of the tournament with their heads held high.
Their semi started in frantic fashion with Kevin Bruijsten almost giving Stars the lead after less than a minute when he forced a great save from Bowns.
Then Felix Poulin saw his shot deflected wide.
With eight minutes remaining in the opening period, Dundee took the lead when Kevin Hart fired in a shot.
With just under two minutes left i n the session, Vinny Scarsella sent a pass to Brett Switzer who honed in on goal and rifled his shot into the net to give Stars a 2-0 lead.
The teams continued to play end-to-end hockey with both netminders in outstanding form.
It was the league champions who were next to find the net to bring themselves back into the game.
Layne Ulmer and Patrick Asselin combined to set up Joey Haddaed who found the net to make it 2-1.
Cardiff piled on the pressure towards the end of the period but Stars’ defence were in defiant mood.
Stars were dealt a blow just three minutes into the third period when Mark Louis grabbed an equaliser.
Then, on 54 minutes, the champions took the lead with a strike from Joey Martin.
Stars piled on the pressure with Joey Sides, Cale Tanaka and Bruijsten all going close but Devils were resolute.
With just over two minutes left, Scott Hotham was awarded two minutes f or holding stick, giving Stars a powerplay.
Goalkeeper Joe Fallon was pulled in favour of the extra skater as Stars went for the equaliser.
However, with 10 seconds remaining, Hotham broke free to seal the game for Cardiff with an empty net goal to give them a 4-2 victory.
It was a fast, exciting game, one where Stars gave everything and can consider themselves unlucky not have progressed to the final.
Stars provided excellent entertainment over the season and, but for a devastating run of injuries during December, they would surely have finished higher in the league and Conference.
Stars’ director, Stephen Ward summed up the game by saying: “I am very proud of the team.
“We have been playing play-off hockey for the last six or seven weeks and the momentum has been building.
“It showed out there but, unfortunately, we just didn’t have enough gas at the end.
“The fans have been fantastic, they have travelled down here in huge numbers, and it’s great to see them.
“They have been supportive of the team all season and the players have appreciated that.
“Everyone at the club has pulled together and to get to the final four weekend has been a great achievement.
“It’s not easy to win any league but, if you have the biggest budget, then you have a good chance.
“We are a team with a smaller budget and what Marc LeFebvre has a achieved with that budget is amazing. For him not to be a contender for Coach of the Year is a disgrace.”
LeFebvre said: “I’m finding it difficult to put into words exactly how I feel.
“These players have been amazing, they came out on fire and gave it everything they had. They left everything on the ice and a coach can’t ask any more from his team than that.”