Pacha reflects on errorstrewn Sheffield display

Stars called upon to learn from their mistakes

Dundee Stars coach Omar Pacha reflected on Tuesday’s defeat at Sheffield Steelers and said: “We must learn from that.”

The players have already viewed a video of the game in Yorkshire and are working on a game plan ahead of Saturday’s home Challenge Cup clash with Edinburgh Capitals.

Two crucial Challenge Cup points are at stake and Pacha believes that it is vitally important that his squad learns from their mistakes.

He is desperate to win the home clash against a team which lost at home to Belfast Giants on Sunday.

Capitals lost 5-2 at Fife Flyers on Saturday and gave up five goals in 17, second period minutes at home to Belfast Giants 24 hours later, firing 20 shots on Edinburgh goaltender Pavel Shegalo.

Pacha’s men also lost five goals in the first period at Sheffield.

The playcaller said: “Losing five goals in the first period and it’s game over. Our guys struggled to get their feet moving against a top team. We made a lot of mistakes. They came at us with four lines, and they are all competitive lines, and they never let up.”

Pacha added: “I’m not going to accept mediocrity. We have to learn from this and it can’t happen again.”

He conceded that the gruelling trip to Belfast on Saturday, followed by a home game on Sunday and a long bus ride to Sheffield took its toll.

However, he added: “There can be no excuses – that first period cost us.”

Meanwhile, a stem cell donor recruitment drive at Fife Flyers clash with Edinburgh last Saturday saw dozens of fans register.

The event, organised by blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan, was to support Kirkcaldy firefighter Gary Dall, who has been diagnosed with myelodysplasia, a form of blood cancer.

Amy Bartlett, Anthony Nolan’s regional manager for Scotland, dropped the puck to start the game.