Stars hit for six as Flyers recover from thrashing to beat Panthers

ICE HOCKEY: Sheffield complete four-point raid on trip north

DUNDEE STARS 3 SHEFFIELD STEELERS 6

Stars were unable to find a win this week as they lost out to Steelers at home last night.

Forward Brett Stovin returned to the line-up after three weeks out but defenceman Reilly O’connor was still not cleared to play.

The action went back and forth from the start and both goalies were kept busy.

The first penalty of the game, against Sheffield’s Mikko Kuukka for tripping, opened up the game and Dundee captain Matt Marquardt broke the deadlock as he tipped in Jagger Dirk’s shot at the right post on 13 minutes.

Marc-olivier Vallerand levelled for Steelers in the 14th minute as he cut inside and rifled a shot high into the top corner.

Stars were then on the penalty kill as Dirk was penalised for tripping but neither team was able to find a go-ahead goal before the first break.

The second period saw Brendan Connolly give the visitors the lead as he turned in a Michael Davies pass from behind Stars’ net.

Marek Troncinsky was next to be sent to Steelers’ penalty box after he was caught holding back a Stars player just 20 seconds after the goal.

However, it was Aaron Fox’s men who moved further in front as Tanner Eberle deflected David Phillip’s shot past Alex Leclerc in the Dundee net. It soon became 4-1 as James Bettauer sent a shot from out wide into the top of the net in the 33rd minute.

There was a massive chance for Dundee to pull one back as Jordan Cownie and Drydn Dow broke with only one defending Steeler in their way but Cownie delayed his pass and it was cut out by the defender.

Following the conclusion of a twominute powerplay as Kris Inglis was boxed for holding, the Steelmen netted for a fifth time inside 35 minutes.

Robert Dowd provided the finishing touch as the puck came to him after Dundee defenceman Shawn Boutin blocked a pass across goal.

Sheffield hit penalty trouble late in the second period and with Ben O’connor in the sin bin for holding, Anthony Beauregard capitalised on the man advantage by hitting a powerful shot that slipped between the arm and body of Thomas Duba with just over a minute left to play in the second.

The third period began with Dundee picking up a penalty inside the first two minutes as Elgin Pearce was called for a late hit on Connolly and from the following powerplay Connolly converted a sixth goal for Sheffield.

Michael Davies drilled a shot at Leclerc that ended up behind Dundee’s netminder for Connolly to push home on 43 minutes.

The game went back and forth for most of the final period as Dundee pushed to get back into the game and they were given a huge chance to do that as the Steelers took back-to-back penalties.

With Bettauer and Aaron Brocklehurst both in the box for minor fouls, Omar Pacha’s powerplay gave it their all to try to kickstart a comeback but Steelers’ penalty killing unit was on top form.

It all came down to the final minutes and, after both teams had returned to full strength after penalties, Brett Stovin bagged the final goal of the game to make it 6-3.

The Canadian forward, who just returned from injury, nicked the loose rebound of Dow’s shot before Duba could snatch it up and then moved away from the keeper before sliding the puck into a gaping goal in the 59th minute.

The final buzzer sounded to round off a pointless week for Dundee and a fourpoint weekend for Sheffield.

The Stars now have a week to regroup and refocus before next weekend’s games at home to Coventry Blaze and away to the Steelers.

Fired-up Fife Flyers bounced back last night from their worst Elite League home reverse to beat much-decorated Nottingham Panthers 4-1.

Flyers head coach Todd Dutiaume had asked for a reaction from the 10-3 hammering by Sheffield on Saturday.

Picture: Derek Black. Dundee Stars defend their goal in last night’s game with Sheffield Steelers.

Brett Stovin: Scored on his return from injury lay-off.