The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Fife Flyers and Dundee Stars in hunt for Elite League points this weekend
Dundee Stars forward Charles Corcoran insists his team-mates are ready for the challenge of facing Sheffield Steelers for the second time in eight days.
The Tayside team lost 4-0 to the Steelers last weekend but get the chance for revenge when they come face to face again in Dundee tomorrow in their only game of the weekend.
Corcoran is confident Omar Pacha’s men can make up for the Elite League loss.
He said: “As always Sheffield will be a tough test for us on Sunday but I think the guys have had a great week of practice and are ready for the challenge.
“We were not at all pleased with our showing down in Sheffield last weekend and are excited to play our game against them. When we play the way we want to, we have the ability to beat anyone.”
Corcoran scored his first professional goal on Sunday in a 6-3 home loss to Belfast Giants. Despite the defeat, he added: “It was nice to get the monkey off the back and score my first pro goal.
“It was a great play by Cowns (Jordan Cownie) to drive the middle and I was lucky to get the puck back after my initial shot.
“It was an unfortunate result, but we are confident in our team moving forward.”
Looking forward to the one-game weekend, the 23-year old said: “It is nice that we will not be on a bus all day for a change.
“However, we know in our room when we have weekends like this, we need to produce results and I think we are heading in the right direction in that sense.
“As I mentioned before, we have to play a certain way to be successful and it is no secret that we need to play together.
“We are prepared for the challenge and know it will be tough, but we are excited.”
Tom Barrasso’s Steelers sit seventh in the Elite League standings and are three points clear of Dundee.
Steelers have added another player to their roster this week with the signing of Canadian forward Anthony DeLuca from Thetford Mines Assurancia.
Goalkeeper Matt Climie was brought in before the last meeting between Dundee and Sheffield but has yet to make his debut for the Steelers.
Face-off tomorrow is at 5pm and fans should note that it will be cash payments only as Dundee City Council is carrying out essential maintenance work that affects Dundee Ice Arena.
Meanwhile, Fife Flyers assistant Jeff Hutchins has rammed home the importance of playing for a full 60 minutes.
Tonight Fife entertain Manchester Storm (face-off 7.15pm) and Hutchins has stressed that Ryan Finnerty’s men will fight until the final whistle.
They desperately need points as Storm sit in a disappointing eighth position in the table.
Fife, by contrast, have won their last two league games, including Wednesday’s 5-4 overtime road win at play-off and league champions Cardiff Devils, and nine of their 16 fixtures in 60 minutes for 24 points.
Hutchins said: “We played well on Wednesday (in Cardiff) but we have to stay level-headed.
“We have to show up every night and show up on every shift if we are to collect points. This is a tough league and you can’t take a night off.”