The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Stars aim to stretch run
ICE HOCKEY: Dundee face Belfast as they target five straight league wins
Dundee Stars coach Omar Pacha hopes his team can build “momentum” and extend their winning run by avenging last week’s defeat at the hands of Belfast Giants.
Stars take on the Northern Irish outfit tonight in Elite League action as they aim to make it five league games unbeaten.
Belfast were 8-0 victors in Dundee in last Wednesday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final first leg.
Pacha’s men responded with a 4-2 home victory against Coventry Blaze on Saturday before stealing the extra point in Cardiff on Sunday after beating the Devils 3-2 in a shoot-out.
Reflecting on his side’s successful weekend, Pacha said: “I am really happy. When you get a four-point weekend it is always good.
“It was great to do it against Fife, our big rivals, but to do it against Coventry and Cardiff is just as good I think.
“Especially at home and being down in the third and coming back, showing great character and winning that hockey game.
“Then on the road in Cardiff, where historically they have been really good at home and are the defending champions but to get the two points was great.
“Hopefully we keep this little run going and build momentum.”
Dundee have turned around their form in the last fortnight to win four league fixtures on the bounce and Pacha added: “I think we are doing a lot of good things.
“We just need to keep going and get better week by week. I think defensively we played a lot better than we were in that three-game span where we lost to Sheffield twice and Belfast.
“In the last four league games we only conceded seven goals, so I think we did a lot of good things and defensively kept it tight.”
Looking ahead to this week’s three home games – against Belfast, Milton Keynes Lightning and Sheffield Steelers – Pacha said: It is great to have an opportunity to stay at home but looking at the standings it will be tough.
“It does not come any easier. Everybody knows the standard of the league this year so it is really hard but we just have to go game by game and prepare the best we can.”
Jordan Kelsall was the only player missing from the Dundee line-up last weekend but Stars could be at full strength for tonight’s clash as the forward will be evaluated before the game. Face-off is 7.30pm.