TRADE-MART DUNDEE STARS 2 FIFE FLYERS 4

The Trade-Mart Dundee Stars had a hard fought battle with their Tayside rivals, Fife Flyers on Sunday night in a Challenge Cup Group A fixture and despite taking an early lead, they would fall behind and be unable to battle their way back.

By Kris Smith

The Stars regained forward, Johnny Walker after he served his two-game suspension to return to a full 20-man roster, whilst the Flyers made one change as backup netminder, Andrew Little dropped out and was replaced by Cameron Kenny.

Dundee got off to another quick start, this time taking the lead on the two minute-mark as Ryan Valentini burst down the left wing before delaying a pass across goal to the very last second and finding Anthony Rinaldi at the back post.

However, the Flyers would find a quick response just three minutes later as Collin Shirley jammed home a loose puck after a scramble in front of Kevin Carr’s goal and that brought the two bitter rivals back onto level terms.

Walker would then be the first player to be disciplined on the night as he served a two-minute penalty for hooking and just as the Flyers powerplay was about to expire, a rebound from another scramble in front of the Dundee net popped out for Anthon Eriksson to fire home and give the visitors a 2-1 lead.

Marc LeFebvre’s men were struggling to stay out of the sin bin but some good defending by his penalty killing units kept them just one goal down heading into the first break.

In the second session, it would be the Flyers who would be quick off the mark as Eriksson netted again to give his side a two-goal cushion, this time it was Stephen Desrochers’s pass deflecting in via the skates of Eriksson.

Tom Coolen’s side then capitalised on a miscommunication in the Dundee back line as two defensemen collided and the puck bounced in behind for Troy Lajeunesse to take a golf swing at and his effort would find the top corner of Carr’s net from inside the left face-off circle, on 25 minutes.

The Stars did respond two minutes later as they capitalised on their first powerplay of the night after some roughing penalties were handed out following a scrum around the Fife goal, with Dundee’s Sean Allen and Fife’s Desrocher and goalie, Shane Owen all taking minor penalties.

The home team put the Flyers under a lot of stress and less than halfway into their two-minute, two-man advantage, Carter Johnson slipped the puck out to the left side where Rinaldi was waiting to slot home his second of the game.

Both teams were pushing hard for the next goal as it would crucial in swinging the game in either side’s favour but more penalties halted the spells of pressure each side had been creating.

In the third stanza, it would be a scoreless affair but the home side had continued to press hard for a way back into the game, although a few more penalties and a five-minute major for Kris Inglis for boarding Fife’s Adam Holwell interrupted their flow and forced them onto the back foot again.

Dundee were desperate for just one goal to spark something late but were unable to find another way past Owen and the Flyers defence, now after a pointless weekend they must redirect their focus back on to league play and next weekend sees them travel down south for an all-English road trip against Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers.

Man of the Match

Dundee: #17 Anthony Rinaldi

Fife: #53 Anthon Eriksson

Goals

1st:

1-0 Anthony Rinaldi (Ryan Valentini, Tommy Parrottino) 01:59

1-1 Collin Shirley (Umassisted) 05:23

1-2 Anthon Eriksson (Unassisted) 10:35 PPG

2nd:

1-3 Anthon Eriksson (Johan Eriksson) 22:58 PPG

1-4 Troy Lajeunesse (Stephen Desrocher) 25:18

2-4 Anthony Rinaldi (Carter Johnson, Ryan Valentini) 27:14 PPG

3rd:

All images: Derek Black.