GLASGOW CLAN 4 TRADE-MART DUNDEE STARS 1
The Trade-Mart Dundee Stars were made to wait for their first win of the Challenge Cup Group Stage as they suffered defeat in Glasgow on Saturday night.
By Kris Smith
The Stars iced a full line-up for their first clash with their Scottish rivals and would go up against one of their two former players who are now part of the Clan, Philippe Sanche played his first game against Dundee after spending two seasons on Tayside and Charlie Combs had been ruled out through injury.
The first period saw end-to-end action unfold as both teams were creating scrambles around the net but it would be the Clan who broke the deadlock as forward, Gary Haden got the final touch on a loose puck to roll it into the Dundee net on nine minutes.
Jason Morgan’s side then doubled their lead five minutes later and it was again Haden, who applied the finishing touch after Darien Craighead’s shot deflected off a Dundee stick and into the path of the Glasgow player.
The Stars had their chances to get on the scoreboard with Craig Garrigan going close as Spencer Naas’ pass playing the Dundonian clean through on Jake Kielly’s goal but the Glasgow keeper would produce a key save.
Naas also had a chance to cut the deficit in half right before the first break as he broke away and went in on goal but sent his effort over the Clan net.
In the second session, both teams would get to utilise their powerplay unites but neither side would be successful on the man advantage.
However, Glasgow increased their stranglehold on the game whilst on the penalty kill as Jake Bolton would sit for four minutes in the sin bin after picking up minor penalties for interference and then unsportsmanlike conduct.
With Dundee’s powerplay units struggling to break out of their own end, Clan’s Michael Pelech would press high and win the puck in the 33rd minute before firing past netminder, Kevin Carr.
Ex-Star, Sanche then got in on the scoring as he finished off Robert Lachowicz’s cross-goal pass on 36 minutes to give Glasgow a 4-0 lead heading into the third period.
Despite hammering shots towards the Glasgow goal all-night long, it was not easy for Dundee to find a way past Keilly but they did finally stop the shutout on 47 minutes, after Ryan Valentini’s wraparound effort snuck between the keeper and his post.
The match would end 4-1 and end the Stars hopes of making it to the Quarter-Finals but they now put their full focus on the league as they return home tomorrow to take on Nottingham Panthers at the DIA.
Man of the Match
Dundee: #9 Ryan Valentini
Glasgow: #23 Gary Haden
Goals
1st:
1-0 Gary Haden (Michael Pelech) 09:53
2-0 Gary Haden (Darien Craighead, Zach Vinnell) 14:04
2nd:
3-0 Michael Pelech (Gary Haden) 32:28 SHG
4-0 Philippe Sanche (Robert Lachowicz) 36:38
3rd:
4-1 Ryan Valentini (Drydn Dow, Craig Moore) 47:40
All images: Al Goold.
