COVENTRY BLAZE 3 TRADE-MART DUNDEE STARS 2 OT
The Trade-Mart Dundee Stars came back from 2-0 down to win a point in Coventry on Sunday night but ultimatley lost to the Blaze in overtime, making it a three-point weekend for the club.
By Kris Smith
The only changes to the Stars team which beat Glasgow Clan 6-2 on Saturday night was the addition of two-way forward, Gary Kelly to the line-up and Jarrett Fiske was handed the start in goal.
Just three minutes into the game, Alessio Luciani fired the home team in front with a wrist shot into the near side top corner of Fiske’s goal after the Blaze had put their opponents under some heavy pressure right from the off.
In the eighth minute, Kevin Moore’s men doubled their lead as they made their chances count against Dundee and Jakob Stridsberg found the back of the net with a long-range effort from the top of the slot.
The Stars needed to find a response but could not beat Mat Robson in the Coventry goal as he stopped all 14 shots he faced in the first period but in the second session, the Taysiders found themselves down a man for five minutes as Ben O’Connor was called for boarding.
However, it was Dundee who took advantage of the situation as Marc LeFebvre’s penalty killers moved down the ice and Spencer Naas lifted a pass across the ice for Zach Tsekos to hit first time past Robson, on 31 minutes.
The Blaze were then under fire for the rest of the middle session but managed to kill off numerous penalties against them as they kept their slender lead heading to the third.
Dundee would continue to try and find a leveller as they hammered 29 shots on the Blaze goal through the final two periods, while the home team managed only seven efforts on target.
Although, with only two minutes left in the game, the Stars finally found a way past Robson again as Brett Gravelle cushioned down Philippe Sanche’s pass and slung it into the top corner.
Neither side would find a late winner and therefore overtime was required but after less than two of the five minutes of extra time, Coventry would claim the extra point.
The Blaze rushed forward and as Nick Seitz rounded the Dundee goal, he played a pass out to Mike Kennedy who fired high past Fiske for his first professional goal.
The Stars take a point away from the SkyDome and add it to their two from Saturday’s win, which moves them above Glasgow and into seventh place in the Elite League table, then next weekend sees Dundee play twice at home as they welcome Guildford Flames on Saturday and Belfast Giants on Sunday.
Man of the Match
Dundee: #17 Zach Tsekos
Coventry: #20 Mat Robson
Goals
1st:
1-0 Alessio Luciani (Nick Seitz, Jakob Stridsberg) 03:47
2-0 Jakob Stridsberg (Mike Regush) 08:16
2nd:
2-1 Zach Tsekos (Spencer Naas) 31:32 SHG
3rd:
2-2 Brett Gravelle (Philippe Sanche, Keanu Yamamoto) 57:54
OT:
3-2 Mike Kennedy (Nick Seitz, Chase Gresock) 61:43
All images: Scott Wiggins.