TRADE-MART DUNDEE STARS 3 BELFAST GIANTS 1
The Trade-Mart Dundee Stars produced a big upset on Sunday night as they turned over the Elite League leaders, Belfast Giants 3-1 on home ice to make it a four-point weekend.
By Kris Smith
The Stars got off to the perfect start as they put the Giants under pressure early and after nine minutes they finally broke through, when Zach Tsekos played the puck out to the left wing for Spencer Naas and he fired between the legs of Jackson Whistle.
Then just two minutes later, Cole MacDonald would double the home team’s lead as he took Brett Gravelle’s pass and slung it low past the Belfast keeper, forcing Adam Keefe into calling a timeout to reorganise his side.
Dundee then had a powerplay chance as Jordan Kawaguchi shot the puck out of play from his own end but the man advantage would be short lived as Domenic Alberga was then penalised for a tripping foul.
With both teams down to four skaters each, the dangerous scoring chances increased but both Whistle and Stars netminder, Richard Sabol kept the puck out.
The Northern Irish side thought they had pulled one back as Scott Conway tried to wrap the puck around the post from behind the Dundee goal but the skate of Drydn Dow blocked the shot at the last second.
In the second period, the Stars had their first full powerplay but failed to cause the Giants any problems and were under a lot of pressure from a motivated Belfast team.
Despite the heavy pressure, Sabol and the Dundee defence held firm and also killed off a penalty against Keanu Yamamoto late in the session, which meant they kept their two-goal advantage heading to the third period.
Belfast would finally breakthrough in the 48th minute as Zak Galambos finished off Kawaguchi’s pass to cut the lead back to one but Marc LeFebvre’s men would respond almost instantly to restore their two-goal advantage.
In the 51st minute, Dow fired the puck towards the Giants net, where Domenic Alberga was parked in front of goal but he would be shoved and as he fell to the ice, he got something on the puck to send it past Whistle.
The Stars held on to secure the win and claim two more crucial points in their hunt for a playoff spot and they now sit four points clear of Glasgow Clan in eighth and six points ahead of Manchester Storm, who both have games in hand over Dundee.
More importantly, the Stars are closing the gap above them with Guildford Flames nine points ahead in sixth but next weekend they face a resurgent Nottingham Panthers side at home on Saturday, who are mounting a late title challenge and are unbeaten in their last six games.
Sunday then sees the next instalment of the Tayside Derby as the Stars travel to Kirkcaldy to face Fife Flyers, who are looking to snap their six-game baron run against their cross-river rivals.
Man of the Match
Dundee: #36 Richard Sabol
Belfast: #9 Ben Lake
Goals
1st:
1-0 Spencer Naas (Zach Tsekos, Drydn Dow) 09:24
2-0 Cole MacDonald (Brett Gravelle, Keanu Yamamoto) 11:10
2nd:
3rd:
2-1 Zak Galambos (Jordan Kawaguchi) 48:38
3-1 Domenic Alberga (Drydn Dow, Kameron Kielly) 50:25
All images: Derek Black.