Stars seal the double as Fife are caught in Storm

Dundee celebrate wins over Steelers – but Flyers endure mixed weekend

Dundee Stars’ return to form was underlined by a stunning double victory over five-time Elite League champions Sheffield Steelers at the weekend.

Omar Pacha’s side thrashed last season’s play-off runners-up 6-1 at Dundee Ice Arena last night – 24 hours after a memorable 6-3 win in Yorkshire.

The maximum point weekend means Dundee – who were without Jordan Kelsall, on international duty with the GB U20s – move above the struggling Steelers into eighth place, with the demoralised visitors only kept off bottom spot by MK Lightning.

Brian Hart got Stars off to the perfect start with the opening goal in eight minutes and they doubled their lead as Charles Corcoran and Matt Bissonnette connected in the 16th minute.

Corcoran played a pass into Bissonnette, who was standing in front of Matt Climie and he easily tucked it past the Steelers keeper.

Dundee defended well before former Steeler Matt Marquardt took possession after a turnover by Sheffield in the neutral zone. He went forward before slipping a shot between the legs of Climie in the 27th minute.

Stars moved 4-0 ahead 21 seconds later as Jordan Cownie picked out Marquardt on the opposite wing and he blasted a shot into a gaping net as Climie was out of position.

Josh Pitt pulled one back for Sheffield after his shot hit the left arm of Pontus Sjögren and fell behind the Stars goalie before trickling across the line.

With 36 minutes gone, Bissonnette’s brace made it 5-1 and midway through the final period Stars found the net on the powerplay as Corcoran knocked home the rebound from Francois Bouchard’s shot to make it 6-1.

Stars’ success in Sheffield was their first ever victory in Yorkshire, breaking a 25-game losing streak in the House of Steel.

Pacha said: “It was a great weekend and it is kind of tough to pinpoint individuals because I thought everybody did so well.

“Overall it was two good team performances and I am proud of the guys and how they competed, maybe that is a reference point we can use in the future.

“It shows that if we do our things well we can be successful.”

Stars have five days to prepare before next weekend’s home double-header against Nottingham Panthers and Guildford Flames.

MANCHESTER STORM 7 FIFE FLYERS 4

Fourth-placed Fife Flyers slipped to a 7-4 defeat at Manchester Storm last night despite taking an early lead.

Chase Schaber fired the visitors ahead after five minutes on the powerplay but the Kirkcaldy side were then hit by three straight goals.

Dallas Ehrhardt levelled just over two minutes later and Felix-Antoine Poulin, a former Glasgow Clan and Dundee Stars player, fired the home side ahead five minutes later.

Former Fife player Chris Auger increased their advantage two minutes later.

Mike Cazolla gave Fife hope with a short-handed goal after 26 minutes but then another three goals hit Flyers’ net.

Dane Byers scored for Storm after 30 minutes with Ehrhardt claiming his second 38 seconds after the start of the third session. Auger netted his second and Manchester’s sixth after 47 minutes.

Danick Gauthier pulled one back on the powerplay for Fife but Rob Linsmayer scored Storm’s seventh three minutes later.

Paul Crowder scored a consolation on the powerplay for Fife with less than two minutes left.

On Saturday Fife beat MK Lighting 6-5 on the road, with Joe Basaraba slotting the game-winning goal deep into suddendeath overtime.

Derek Black. Stars defend a Sheffield attack on home ice in their second game of a weekend double-header.

Chase Schaber was on the mark for Fife in their defeat in Manchester.