The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Stars eye spot in play-offs after winning weekend
Dundee side defeats Clan after sensational comeback in Kirkcaldy
Dundee Stars’ play-off push continued last night as Omar Pacha’s side skated to a 4-1 victory over Braehead and their second win of the weekend.
Stars had made a stunning comeback to defeat oldest rivals Fife Flyers 7-6 after a shoot-out in Kirkcaldy on Saturday.
The successful weekend came despite being short-benched once more as Adam Harding and Riley Stadel joined the injury list.
Danish forward Lukas Lundvald Nielsen picked off a pass in the Braehead end and faked a slapshot before dragging the puck around Ryan Nie and shooting Stars into the lead at 13:50.
Brian Hart won a battle on the boards to gain possession before jamming the puck through the legs of Nie to double the lead just 37 seconds into the middle period.
A big rebound from the pads of Travis Fullerton was hit first time by Bari Mckenzie and he got Braehead on the board at 31:32.
The Clan were hungry for an equaliser but Stars hung on to their lead going into the second intermission.
Pacha’s men were creating good opportunities but he knew that his side needed to start building a lead again.
Dundee were tested early on as Malcolm Gould went to the box for a third time after picking up a hooking penalty in the 42nd minute.
Emerson Hrynyk cut out a pass in the neutral zone before skating in on Nie. As the Clan keeper waited for Hrynyk to pass, he fired a wrist shot into the top corner over Nie’s glove at 42:35. The short-handed goal extended Stars’ lead to 3-1.
Stars cleared up well in their defensive end to keep Braehead’s chances to a minimum but could not put the game to bed.
John Tripp pulled goaltender Ryan Nie as Clan tried to salvage a point, but Stars were creating turnover after turnover before inevitably they found the net with 92 seconds remaining. Lundvald Nielsen collected a rebound before firing the puck into the empty net.
Man of the Match prizes went to Bari Mckenzie and Dundee’s Emerson Hrynyk.
Stars have continued their climb up the Elite League table and now sit just three points away from Braehead and the last play-off spot, and still have two games in hand.
They face Fife Flyers at home on Saturday evening before heading to Edinburgh to take on the Capitals on Sunday, with four huge points up for grabs.
Flyers lost 4-1 in Cardiff last night, completing a disappointing weekend for the Fife outfit.
Dundee Stars’ 7-6 win in Kirkcaldy on Saturday came after a sensational fightback, writes Nigel Duncan.
Flyers led 5-2 in the third session but Dundee hit four straight goals.
With penalty shots needed, Malcolm Gould kept his nerve to slot home.
Team-mates Marc-oliver Mimar and Lukas Lundvald Nielsen had earlier missed, while Peter Leblanc, Ian Young and Liam Heelis failed to score for Fife.
Omar Pacha described the win as “huge” but said his short-benched squad are still making critical mistakes.
“The boys found a way and we have been playing good hockey, but at times we’ve been making mistakes which have been punished,” he said.
Fife were 2-0 ahead inside the first three minutes, with Charlie Mosey and Jim Jorgensen netting, before Jimmy Jensen pulled one back for the visitors on a power play after 15 minutes.
Carlo Finucci’s power-play score after 1:20 of the second and Russ Moyer’s goal five minutes later made it 4-1 before Brian Hart pulled one back with 40 seconds left of the session. Heelis slotted Fife’s fifth after 42 minutes.
Then came Stars’ goal blitz. Lundvald Nielsen started the rush with a goal 42 seconds later and Jordan Cownie slotted two after 47 and 50 minutes.
Mimar fired Stars ahead shorthanded after 55 minutes but Danick Gauthier levelled with 1:17 left to ensure overtime, then penalty shots.