The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Stars’ hopes dented by controversial call
ICE HOCKEY: Dundee’s play-off bid derailed after swift double blow
DUNDEE STARS 2 MANCHESTER STORM 4
Dundee Stars dominated 46 minutes of last night’s game against Storm before a controversial moment turned the Elite League match against them.
The controversy came in the third period with the scores locked at 1-1.
Matt Marquardt thought he had given Stars the lead as his shot appeared to fly in and out of the top corner before the visitors went straight down the other end of the ice and scored.
A video review of Dundee’s goal saw referees Toby Craig and David Good confirm that Stars did not score and that meant Ciaran Long’s goal stood to give Manchester a 2-1 lead in the 47th minute.
Storm doubled their lead just eight seconds later and Dundee could not recover as they slipped to second from bottom in the table, three points out of the play-off positions.
Stars, who had lost 4-1 at Nottingham Panthers on Saturday, looked the more comfortable team early on last night but Manchester, who had travelled without eight players, found their feet after a few minutes.
The first chance fell to Storm’s Mike Hammond but Pontus Sjögren would not be beaten and the keeper also denied Matt Beca.
Stars continued to create chances but it was Manchester who broke the deadlock against the run of play.
Harrison Ruopp patiently waited for an opening before releasing a quick wrist shot that beat the Dundee netminder at his far post in the 13th minute.
The goal kicked the home team into action but their season-long issue of being unable to finish chances continued to haunt them.
Dundee continued their hungry performance in the second but failed to convert the chances that fell their way.
Charles Corcoran eventually got Stars level in the 34th minute when he turned in a shot at the back post. Straight from the restart, Dundee created another turnover and Fabrizio Ricci and Brian Hart had a two-on-one break but Ricci put a shot into the chest of Matt Ginn and the opportunity was gone.
Both teams came out fighting in the third before Storm took control with the controversial goal and Luke Moffatt’s quick third.
It went from bad to worse for Omar Pacha’s men as Long added a second and Manchester’s fourth of the evening. Sjögren was caught outside his post and Long rounded the net to tuck home an easy finish in the 49th minute.
Dundee quickly pulled one back through defenceman Shawn Boutin, but, despite pushing for another and swapping Sjögren for an extra attacker, they could not find a way past Storm again before time ran out.
Rick Pinkston claimed a suddendeath overtime winner as Fife Flyers edged play-off rivals Sheffield Steelers in a thriller at Fife Ice Arena last night.
Fife had suffered their third straight defeat on Saturday when they slipped up 3-1 at Sheffield.