Stars to change for Belfast cup clash

ICE HOCKEY: Pacha plans to change things up for Belfast return

Dundee Stars travel to Ireland in their first of four away games this week as they play Belfast Giants in the second leg of the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

Omar Pacha’s side come off the back of a six-game winning streak that was ended by Sheffield Steelers on Sunday.

A 3-2 overtime loss earned them one point – enough to move Dundee into seventh place and keep them in the playoff spots.

Reflecting on their late slip-up, Stars head coach Pacha said: “I think we dominated the game and we played well for 58 minutes.

“We just could not seal the deal but still picked up a point.

“We were just unfortunate we could not score in that first period because I thought that was one of the best periods we have played all year.

“It is heartbreaking but I think we just have to learn to be successful when we play like we did in the first 15 minutes.”

Pacha said he is going to change things up for tonight’s second leg of the quarterfinals clash with Giants.

The Canadian will use all his players and give the younger guys more game time before they begin a triple-header in England this weekend.

Stars travel to Nottingham Panthers on Friday before heading south to Milton Keynes for another match with the Lightning on Saturday.

Their weekend concludes with a game in Coventry against the Blaze on Sunday.

The first leg did not go to plan for Dundee as they conceded three goals in the opening 20 minutes before Adam Keefe’s men added four more in the second period and one more in the third to round off the scoring.

Belfast’s goals came from David Rutherford (2), Kyle Baun (2), Jonathan Ferland, Lewis Hook, Hunter Bishop and Jim Vandermeer.

Guillaume Gélinas, Colin Shields, Andrew Dickson, Patrick Dwyer and Matt Towe were all missing from the Giants line-up last Sunday but the Northern Irish side are also likely to play a slightly weaker team.

Stars back-up goaltender Craig Holland will be given a start in the nets and is looking forward to getting more ice time.

He said: “Practising day in day out is great but getting game time is what really helps you improve.”

“Belfast have been a tough opponent for us all season but we will still try to keep the momentum going.

“They are a fast and skilful team with good goaltending, so you can see why they are in the position they are, but we can compete with any team in the league.

“There is no point in dwelling on the first leg.”

Derek Black. Stars’ Drydn Dow on the attack during the quarter-final first leg in Dundee. Stars went down 8-0.