Stars stunned by Flyers fightback

FIFE Flyers left the DIA with two points and the bragging rights from the first Tayside derby of 2022 after a thrilling 6-3 win over Dundee Stars.

Dundee made a good start to the game and looked dangerous going forward in the opening minutes, before goaltender Adam Morrison preformed a stunning triple-save to keep the game scoreless after eight minutes of play.

The Stars were then dealt a temporary blow when Spencer Dorowicz left the ice for medical work to his face after colliding with the end boards during the first period and he would return to the ice later in the match.

Dundee broke the deadlock with 30 seconds left on the clock. A long pass from Philippe Sanche set the Stars on the attack and forwards Charlie Combs and Dillon Lawrence took the puck into the Fife end, where Lawrence beat Shane Owen with a low shot.

Heading into the second period, all the momentum was behind the Stars, but, just 29 seconds after the restart, the visitors were level.

An inch-perfect shot and debut goal from Brandon Magee got the Flyers on the scoreboard, but they would not be level for long.

In the 23rd minute, Sanche and restored Dundee’s lead by poking home a loose puck among a pile of bodies in front of the Fife net. After a lengthy review by referees Toby Craig and Robin Elliot, the goal was awarded and there would be another game-changing goal just moments later.

With the Stars down a man as Alexandre Ranger was punished for a tripping foul, Jacob Benson redirected a shot from Jonas Emmerdahl past Morrison to tie the game on 25 minutes. Todd Dutiaume’s men were then gifted a chance to take the lead for the first time, as Dundee’s Craig Moore was also called for a tripping and that allowed Greg Chase to convert on the powerplay after 28 minutes.

Chase was the extra man and sat out on the left wing before pushing in to blast home the rebound off an Erik Naslund shot that had been beaten away by the Dundee goalie.

In the final minutes of the middle period, the match went from a one-goal game to a mountainous climb for the Stars when a quick shot through traffic from Fife defenceman James Isaacs beat an unsighted Morrison on 36 minutes and, 18 seconds later, James Anderson turned home a crossgoal pass from Bari McKenzie.

After leading 1-0 at the first break, the Stars were now 5-2 down and the Flyers made sure they would protect that lead throughout the third period. After a quiet 15 minutes, Omar Pacha’s players continued to push for the goal that could get them back into the game and eventually it came.

However, it was in the final minute of the game and was scored by Kyle Haas, who stepped in to drive a shot past Owen, with 57 seconds remaining.

The Flyers were given something to worry about when Naslund was sent to the penalty box for crosschecking a Dundee player with 29 seconds left. The Stars swapped their goalie for an extra attacker to gain a six-on-four man advantage, but ended up conceding after a mistake allowed Chase to score into an empty net.

Dundee face Nottingham at home tomorrow, face-off 7.30pm.

Stars’ Connor Sills sees his attempt saved by Flyers goalie Shane Owen.