Stars lose to Clan after late collapse -

Ice hockey: Clan turn tables on Taysiders after earlier defeat

Dundee Stars’ hopes of a weekend win double over Scottish rivals Braehead Clan dissolved in the third period of last night’s tussle in Tayside.

Matt Keith, Alex Leavitt and Scott Pitt all scored, Keith and Leavitt inside the first eight minutes of the final session, as Braehead Clan bounced back from their 6-4 defeat in Glasgow on Saturday to earn revenge with a 6-3 win.

Stars were level at 2-2 after the first session and at 3-3 following the middle period. Then the roof fell in. It started well enough, as Matt White opened the scoring after three minutes for the home side.

Mike Hammond levelled less than a minute later.

Vinny Scarsella claimed number two for the Stars five minutes after that, and Pitt equalised for a second time after 15 minutes on the power play.

Then Clan stunned the home fans by going ahead for the first time through Matt Beca, again with Stars a man short, after 29 minutes.

Felix Antonie Poulin equalised just over a minute later, and that is how it stood until Keith’s power-play strike after 44 minutes followed by Levitt’s goal in 47 and Pitt’s counter with just 36 seconds remaining.

Stars had spoiled Braehead Clan’s homecoming after over a month on the road with a 6-4 win in Glasgow on Saturday.

Kevin Hart swept the puck home from close range to open the scoring.

Marc LeFebvre’s men doubled their lead when Vinny Scarsella’s low effort beat Clan netminder Gary Russell.

Justin Faryna deflected home FelixAntoine Poulin’s shot from the blue line, and Dundee moved into a 3-0 lead.

Matt Haywood pulled one back early in the second period but Faryna’s second on a power play saw the Stars restore their three-goal advantage.

No 1 goaltender Michal Zajkowski took over from Russell after six weeks out through injury, but Cale Tanaka made it 5-1.

A Matt Beca double reduced the deficit to two goals with just under four minutes to play, but Scarsella secured Dundee’s points with an empty net goal.

Alex Leavitt scored a consolation in the last second for the home side.

Meanwhile, Blair Riley netted two goals in 24 seconds for Belfast Giants last night to end Edinburgh Capitals’ hopes.

Edinburgh were 4-1 down after 41 seconds of the final session, but player/ coach Michal Dobron and Ian Schultz scored to narrow the gap to one.

With the Murrayfield men 4-3 behind, Riley struck after 18:28.

The same player scored again to seal the win and a 6-3 scoreline after 18:52.

Picture: Derek Black. Stars’ Scott Brannon clears from defence.