The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)

Stars face ‘big weekend’ in race for play-off place

Pacha calls for battling performanc­es against MK Lightning and Clan

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by Kris Smith Dundee Stars have a huge weekend in store for them as they take on two teams just ahead of them in the play-off race.

Omar Pacha’s side travel to Milton Keynes tonight where a victory will earn them two points and tie them at the 27-point mark in the league standings.

The Buckingham­shire outfit occupy 10th place and sit three points off of the last play-off spot, but Dundee have two games in hand against the Lightning, which if they win could propel them up into that eighth and final play-off place.

Both sides have won one game each of the previous two meetings, with both matches ending with a score line of 5-1.

Dundee may be without Adam Harding after he sustained an injury during training this week.

Some positive news for Stars fans is that Chris Lawrence has returned to training in full-kit and Johan Andersson is back skating with the team but not fully-kitted.

Dundee return to Tayside to host Braehead Clan tomorrow and will hope to make it six home wins in a row and secure another victory over their Gardiner Conference rivals.

Pacha believes this weekend is a “big chance to keep grabbing points” for his team.

He said: “This is a big weekend for us. This is a chance to keep grabbing points against teams right above us.

“But we will need a big road performanc­e against Milton Keynes as they have a really good home record and we need to come in ready for a real battle.

“Our fans have been great and our young team seems to feed off the energy of our home crowd and that gives us a huge advantage.”

Former Braehead player Cody Carlson will dress in his first game against his old club tomorrow and thinks it will be “exciting” facing his former employers and team-mates.

He said: “I wasn’t happy with where I was at in the East Coast Hockey League and so I was looking for a job. Pacha gave me the opportunit­y here and I jumped on it right away.

“Braehead are a good team. They are well coached and work hard every single night. We just have to stick to our systems and play to our strengths and that will be the key to beating the Clan.”

 ?? Picture: Derek Black. ?? Dundee Stars and Milton Keynes Lightning players clash at Dundee Ice Arena in October.
Picture: Derek Black. Dundee Stars and Milton Keynes Lightning players clash at Dundee Ice Arena in October.

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