The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Stars fail to douse threat of Flames at Guildford
ICE HOCKEY: Pacha’s team blanked on final midweek trip of Elite League season
GUILDFORD FLAMES 3 DUNDEE STARS 0
Stars travelled to Guildford for their third-last game of the Elite League season last night with only pride to play for after they were eliminated from the race for the play-offs.
Travis Fullerton remained in nets for Dundee, while Brian Stewart was his opposite number in the Guildford goal. Riley Stadel and captain Chris Lawrence did not ice for Stars and the home team were only without the injured Liam Stewart and keeper Chris Carrozzi.
Both teams started off well and cancelled each other out for the first half of the opening period.
A penalty against former Star Mikael Lidhammar for tripping gave Dundee the chance to break the deadlock but they failed to capitalise.
Flames gained their first powerplay when Brian Hart picked up a slashing minor with 65 seconds left in the first period. It then became a five-on-three as Omar Pacha joined Hart in the box after he was penalised for kneeing with 38 seconds to play.
Paul Dixon’s men worked the puck around well with their two-man advantage and John Dunbar and Kruise Reddick exchanged passes before Reddick set up Calle Ackered to smash the puck past Fullerton at 19:51.
Guildford doubled their lead on the 23-minute mark as Ben Davies took a pass from Lidhammar before beating Stars’ netminder.
Geoff Walker made it 3-0 in the 31st minute when Ackered picked out the Canadian with a cross-ice pass and he beat Fullerton.
Mike Krieg went to the penalty box for hooking as Stars were gifted a chance to get back in the game but once again they were let down by their powerplay unit.
Anthony Mastrodicasa was next to take a seat in the sin bin as the Dundee defenceman was punished for interference with 26 seconds left in the middle period.
The third period lacked any major incidents as Dundee’s defensive performance improved and they were able to keep out the Flames.
Emerson Hrynyk and Johan Anders son both picked up minor penalties late in the period, but Stewart denied all 17 shots he faced from Dundee to secure a shut-out and 3-0 win for his side.
Pacha must now prepare his squad for the final home game of the season, when Dundee welcome Nottingham Panthers on Saturday, before rounding off the campaign in Belfast on Sunday.
Fife Flyers’ bid to finish in the top three in the Elite League suffered another jolt last night.
The Kirkcaldy team lost 1-0 at home to fifth-placed Sheffield Steelers in their final regular season home clash.
Colton Fretter netted the gamewinner after 53 minutes.
Edinburgh Capitals last night confirmed a major reshuffle in a bid to build a team fans can be proud of.
The Murrayfield club, which props up the Elite League with only 11 points and five wins this season from 54 fixtures, will now be managed by a board of investors and representatives from several business areas and professions.
Former owner Scott Neil will be the head of hockey operations.