The Trade-Mart Dundee Stars won a crucial battle on home ice as they defeated Manchester Storm 4-3 after a penalty shootout to push the English side eight points behind them and also made it three wins from three games this week.

By Kris Smith

The Stars faced a quick turnaround from Saturday night’s win in Belfast and they got off to a flying start at home against Manchester, as they took the lead just 45 seconds into the game, when Brendan Harms skated around the Storm zone and picked out the top corner of the net from high on the right side.

Despite an energetic start from Dundee, the visitors had their season on the line and were not ready to let the game slip through their hands so easily and just 53 seconds later, they drew level when Jake Durflinger tipped Loren Ulett’s rising effort past Jarrett Fiske.

Both teams then settled in for a long and nervy night, where neither side wanted to make a mistake that could prove costly, but with so much on the line, the physicality levels were high throughout the match.

The Storm would then get a bit of relief as they took the lead late in the first period as Ryan Hughes was the fastest to react to a loose rebound in front of the Dundee net in the 16th minute and that left the Altrincham club ahead going into the second period.

The middle stanza would be just as tight as the first but the next goal finally came on 36 minutes as Jonathan McBean brought his boyhood club back onto level terms, after he caught a loose puck in front of the Manchester, spun around to face goal and fired a wrist shot into the roof of David Tendeck’s net.

Read the full report below!