The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Stars sink Flyers twice to boost play-off hopes
ICE HOCKEY: Dundee climb above Blaze into eighth
Dundee Stars secured back-to-back wins over arch-rivals Fife Flyers over the weekend to edge into the Elite League’s top eight.
Stars followed up Saturday’s 4-3 victory at Kirkcaldy with a 4-2 win at Dundee Ice Arena and now have 36 points from 43 fixtures, a point ahead of Coventry Blaze who slip to ninth and have played a game more.
Fife pushed the home side hard last night and Chase Schaber shocked home fans by firing Flyers ahead after 11 minutes with home-bred player Chris Wands and Philippe Paquet assisting.
Justin Faryna popped up with another key Stars goal unassisted after 17 minutes and he set up Joey Sides for Dundee’s go-ahead strike four minutes after that.
Kevin Bruijsten made it 3-1 with 27 minutes on the clock but Fife refused to go away and Schaber’s strike after 42 minutes made for a nervous finish for home fans.
Brett Switzer eased nerves, however, when he scored on an empty net in 57 minutes after Fife gambled by withdrawing netminder Shane Owen to give them six skaters. Vinny Scarsella and Cale Tanaka were the architects.
On Saturday, Fife powered to a 2-0 lead after five minutes 44 seconds with goals from Schaber in three minutes and Brendan Brooks.
Desperate Dundee rallied and Mikael Lidhammar pulled one back after 12 minutes and defenceman Felix-Antonie Poulin tied things up after 18 minutes.
Stars took the lead for the first time nine minutes later through Tanaka and the visitors held out until the 51st minute. Then Justin Fox netted for Fife leaving the stage set for a dramatic winner.
It came from Poulin who was set-up by Scarsella with a minute and 52 seconds remaining in a game in which Dundee outshot Fife 37-32.
Last night’s result at Coventry Blaze did not help Dundee relax in their push for a play-off place.
Coventry mauled Nottingham Panthers 5-1 after Andy Sertich had fired the visitors ahead after two minutes.
Blaze then netted five straight goals from Barry Almedia, Jordan Pietrus, Marc Cantin, Matt Marquardt and Robin Bergman.
Meanwhile, Paisley Pirates were crowned Scottish National League champions when they shut out Dundee Tigers 6-0 at Dundee Ice Arena on Saturday.
The Tayside team held the title-chasing outfit for 20 minutes but the flood gates opened in the second with Pirates mugging the home side for four goals.
The West of Scotland club closed out Tigers with a 2-0 final session.
Ian Carstairs, a stalwart for the home side, said: “We’re disappointed after holding them in the first period.”
Results:
Saturday, Elite League: Belfast Giants 2 Cardiff Devils 3, Fife Flyers 3 Dundee Stars 4, Sheffield Steelers 3 Manchester Storm 1, Nottingham Panthers 4 Coventry Blaze 1. Last night, Elite League: Coventry Blaze 5 Nottingham Panthers 1, Dundee Stars 4 Fife Flyers 2, Manchester Storm 3 Sheffield Steelers 4 (OT). Scottish National League: Dundee Tigers 0 Paisley Pirates 6.