The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Top scorer gunning for full points against Steelers
Top scorer Kevin Dufour has branded Dundee Stars’ weekend visit to league leaders Sheffield Steelers as a must-win game.
As the Tayside team’s play-off push continues, the remaining fixtures and chances for them to pick up vital points are dwindling.
There are only 12 games left in Stars’ league campaign and they sit three points adrift of the last play-off position.
Therefore, with other teams carrying games in hand but Dundee having a lighter schedule, Dufour has stressed the importance of taking points from every game.
He said: “I think it all starts this week in practice and getting ourselves ready for the weekend and we must take that into our game.
“Because there is only one match for us, the other teams around us will be playing more games, so we have to make sure we get the two points on Saturday.”
The Stars won on their last outing, defeating sixth-placed Guildford Flames 4-3 at home, a team three places above them in the league standings. That result was needed after Stars dropped points to their biggest rivals, Fife Flyers, in Kirkcaldy last Saturday.
Canadian winger Dufour said the players were delighted to bounce back with a win after their derby defeat. The 27-year-old added: “It felt really good. We are happy with the way we played on Sunday and that we got two points.
“We would have liked a different result over in Fife but the important thing was that we came back stronger in the next game.”
As it is their only game of the weekend, Stars head coach Omar Pacha will have spent all week preparing his players for a tough test in the House of Steel.
The winger, who already has 30 goals for the season plus a further 21 assists, knows what the keys are for taking points away from Yorkshire.
Dufour said: “We know Sheffield are a good team, so we can’t allow them too many chances. Avoiding unnecessary turnovers will be key.
“Against a team like Sheffield, it is vital we play well defensively and not take too many penalties.
“We have to make sure we are ready to go right from the face-off.”
There was a blow to Stars’ playoff hopes on Wednesday night as Manchester Storm won 4-3 on penalties against Nottingham Panthers to open up a three-point gap between them and Dundee.
Speaking before the midweek match, Dufour said the players would be following the score but added they know all they can do is keep focusing on winning their own games.
He said: “I am sure everyone will be looking at the scoreboard and will be hoping for the best result for us but, at the same time, we can only control what we can, which is our own games.”
Stars face-off against Sheffield Steelers at 7pm on Saturday. They will next play at home on Saturday February 22 against Fife Flyers.