The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Massive weekend for Stars
Playoff place beckons if Dundee men can do it on the road
Dundee Stars have a chance to close in on Braehead Clan and secure the final Elite League play-off spot this weekend when they go on the road for two games.
Stars, who will make a late decision on whether they travel down south today, will have their third encounter with the Nottingham Panthers in a month tonight before returning to Scotland for their final game of the season against Edinburgh Capitals on Sunday.
Coach Omar Pacha isn’t getting too far ahead of himself.
He said: “We just have to go one game at a time. We have played two good games against Nottingham in the last few weeks – both on the road and at home.
“They have been tight games but we need to focus more on the scoring aspect. We have been struggling as we have only scored one goal in the last two games against them.
“We are working on our offensive touch around the net and finding ways to score goals, but we are just going to go one game at a time.
“Nottingham are a team that is good everywhere. They have skill up front and big strong, tough defencemen.
“In the last two games against them they have had good goal-tending and those games were tight, but they could have gone either way.
“If we limit our mistakes and capitalise on theirs and try to get through their goalie, we will have a successful night.”
Pacha added: “Sunday will be just as important on the road in Edinburgh. Right now we can’t drop points to a team like that and really we can’t drop points against anybody essentially.
“Every game is going to be as important as the next one, we are going to look forward to that on Sunday and playing a good, smart game, but we can’t take them too lightly as they are a team who have to play with their pride.”
Edinburgh have failed to qualify for the post-season for a fifth straight year and completed their last match with only 15 players, including two goalies.
But Stars forward Ben Edmonds says he and his team-mates are “determined” to reach their goal of making the playoffs and expect Edinburgh to still put up a fight.
He said: “Last week was huge for us, it was what we needed, it has made the boys buzzing for this week and determined to try and grab more points in the hunt for that spot in the play-offs.
“We have had some battles with Edinburgh this year and we don’t expect anything different this time around. We know how to play and how not to play against these guys, so if we stick to our game plan we have a great chance of getting a huge road win.
“Hockey isn’t the most predictable game, lots of bounces haven’t been going our way and some games we haven’t been executing the best.
“However, we know how important the last stretch is here and will be giving it our all for the two points.”
The young Scot has been relishing his first full season with his home town team and believes games like these against Edinburgh provide “great opportunities” for players to show their ability.
He added: “I think every game is a huge game for younger players like myself, but these games in conference are great opportunities for players to show what they can do.”