Gutsy Tigers downed by high-flying Kestrels

DUNDEE Tigers’ stuttering season continued at the weekend with a 4-1 defeat by current SNL pacesetters Kirkcaldy Kestrels at the Dundee Ice Arena.

The hosts surprised their Fife counterparts by taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission with an unassisted goal from Scott Marr in the 14th minute.

But doubles from the Fifers in the second and third periods ensured the spoils went back across the Tay to keep Kestrels neck and neck with Aberdeen Lynx at the top of the table on 18 points.

A Tigers spokesman said: “It’s never good to lose a game but we showed great character on Saturday to challenge one of the teams tipped to go all the way this year.

“A combination of injuries and suspensions meant that we only had one recognised defenceman playing in the game, so we had to shuffle things around and a huge amount of credit has to go to the guys who played out of position.

“We maybe rode our luck at times but our netminder Davey Jackson was well worth his Man-of-the-Match award after turning away 76 of 80 shots.

“We created chances, too, so we can definitely take some positives away from this game.”

Elsewhere, Dundee Comets kept their title-winning hopes alive with a massive 12-3 road-trip win against basement club Solway Stingrays in Dumfries to sit two points behind Fife and Aberdeen.

Adam McNicoll collected the MOTM award for the Taysiders.

Comets next game is at home this Saturday against Kilmarnock Thunder (f/o 7.30pm). Tigers are away to Kilmarnock Storm the same evening.

Dundee Tigers netminder Davey Jackson pounces on the loose puck during his side’s defeat to Kirkcaldy Kestrels.

Dundee Stars U/20s Lewis Single in action against Aberdeen Lynx at Dundee Ice Arena (see bottom story).