The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Steelers’ fast start floors Stars
No return from 6-0 deficit
Dundee Stars faced Sheffield Steelers for the last time in the regular season last night as they looked to continue their good form against the league’s top sides, but Paul Thompson’s men once again proved too strong.
Stars went down 7-2 at the Ice Arena with the visitors racing into a 6-0 lead before Stars got on the scoresheet.
The Sheffield men opened their account when Travis Fullerton gloved a shot from Levi Nelson but dropped it right on to the stick of Robert Dowd, who fired it into the net after 12 minutes.
Dundee could have quickly equalised as they went on the man advantage but a slashing penalty against Stadel made it a four-on-four situation that no team took advantage of.
The visitors killed off Stars’ man advantage before picking up one of their own that would carry over into the second period as Emerson Hrynyk was penalised for charging.
Mark Matheson beat Fullerton through the five-hole to double his side’s lead in 25 minutes and a quick goal from Nelson after the restart made it three.
The visitors were 4-0 up after a tip in front by Tim Wallace directed the puck down through the legs of Fullerton before Colton Fretter made it five.
A hungry home side was getting the better of the chances in the third period, but Sheffield quickly destroyed any momentum that Omar Pacha’s men had created.
Nelson’s one-timer went straight through the five-hole of Craig Holland in 44 minutes, extending the score to 6-0.
Dundee finally pulled a goal back when Malcolm Gould skated through the middle and into the zone before flicking a wrist shot from the top of the slot that flew past the Steelers goalie into the top corner, pulling it back to 6-1 in 47 minutes.
Stars pulled another back through Joey De Concilys, who received a pass from Jensen and fired into the gaping net in 49 minutes.
The Steelers had the final say when John Armstrong got on the end of a rebound in the 59th minute.