Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Comets go clear at top after 13-goal thriller
DUNDEE Comets moved a point clear at the top of the Scottish National League after their table-topping 7-6 victory against Kirkcaldy Kestrels at Dundee Ice Arena on Sunday.
In a thrilling and feisty encounter, which saw the home side collect 36 minutes in penalties and the visitors amass 85, Comets broke the deadlock when Adam McNicoll found the net on a powerplay after six minutes of play.
However, two markers from the Fifers put the visitors 2-1 in front.
Ross Johnston equalised in the 17th minute to tie the first period two apiece.
Comets pulled ahead 90 seconds after the restart through Man-of-theMatch Michal Beca. And, despite Kestrels scoring two more, the Czech earned his hat-trick with two powerplay strikes.
A captain’s goal from Kris Phillips put Comets 6-3 ahead. However, as tensions began to mount, Cam McGiffin and Phillips were sin-binned along with Fife’s Chad Smith and former Comets Robbie Hill, the latter taking no further part in the game.
Fife’s penalties came back to haunt them as debutant Sam McCluskey grabbed Comets’ seventh on another powerplay with just over a minute left in the middle stanza.
In the final period, Kestrels took advantage of two powerplay situations of their own to set up a tense finish with just over two minutes left to play.
But Comets netminder Matty Michie came to the rescue in the dying seconds to poke the puck away to see out the game and collect both points.
Dundee assistant coach John Gordon said: “That result was no more than our guys deserved on the night and grit and heart got us through.
“Although the win puts us into top spot, we still have to play five tough games before anything is decided in the final standings, starting away to Kilmarnock Storm on Saturday night at the Galleon Centre (f/o 7.30pm).”