SHEFFIELD STEELERS 5 TRADE-MART DUNDEE STARS 1
The Trade-Mart Dundee were unable to complete a four-point weekend as they suffered defeat to Sheffield Steelers on Sunday evening.
By Kris Smith
The Stars continued to be without defenseman, Sean Allen and also forward, Anthony Rinaldi as they were both unavailable for the trip to Yorkshire but Dundee would still challenge the Steelers right from the off, creating chances against the league leaders.
Despite an even start to the match, the Steelers soon took the lead on eight minutes thanks to Stars forward, Tommy Parrottino’s botched clearance as he jumped up to swat the puck out of mid-air but it would bounce off the top of his glove and drop behind Kevin Carr, giving Mikko Juusola the credit for the goal.
Then in the 16th minute, Patrick Watling buried Josh Nicolls cross-goal pass with a hard and high finish past Carr after the Steelers broke into the Dundee zone two-on-one.
In the second period, the Stars continued to fight for the goal that would get them back into the match and it eventually came on 31 minutes as Spencer Naas dragged the puck towards goal and flipped a shot up and over Sheffield keeper, Matt Greenfield before batting it in at the other side.
The Tayside team could have been level if Jake Elmer converted his breakaway chance against Greenfield just before Naas scored but they would find themselves still two goals behind heading into the final period as Robert Dowd was next to finish off a switch pass from Nicolls, inside 38 minutes.
With Marc LeFebvre’s men needing a big push in the third session to get back on level terms and whilst they did have some momentum on their side, it was then all taken away as the Stars would start the final period on the penalty kill after a penalty was called against their bench for unsportsmanlike conduct during the intermission.
It took Marc-Olivier Vallerand 67 seconds to convert on the two-minute advantage as the Steelers again quickly shifted the puck from side-to-side and Vallerand blasted home their fourth of the night.
Dundee did not go away and kept causing trouble for Sheffield but Scott Allen killed any hopes of a comeback in the 47th minute as he extended the lead to 5-1 after taking the puck past Carr and lifted it into the net from the left side.
The Stars now have to regroup and prepare for only one game next weekend as they welcome Guildford Flames to the DIA on Saturday and they will be eager to keep their 100 per cent record against the Surrey side going.
Man of the Match
Dundee: #8 Spencer Naas
Sheffield: #10 Josh Nicolls
Goals
1st:
1-0 Mikko Juusola (Kevin Tansey, Dominic Cormier) 08:46
2-0 Patrick Watling (Josh Nicolls, Mikko Juusola) 15:07
2nd:
2-1 Spencer Naas (Ryan Valentini, Brendan Harms) 31:31
3-1 Robert Dowd (Josh Nicolls, Mikko Juusola) 37:29
3rd:
4-1 Marc-Olivier Vallerand (Mitchell Balmas, Colton Saucerman) 41:07 PPG
5-1 Scott Allen (Brien Diffley, Mark Simpson) 46:05
All images: Dean Wooley.
