By Kris Smith
On Saturday night, Dundee backed up their form-changing 5-2 Boxing Day win over Fife Flyers with a 4-1 victory in Kirkcaldy and it has also brought them back to within two points of second bottom, Manchester Storm.
Speaking after another big win in Fife, Stars Head Coach, Omar Pacha said: “I am really pleased with the last three games, I think we are bearing down a lot better defensively, we are making smarter reads in the neutral zone and you can see we are allowing a lot less odd man rushes and counter attacks.
“Like I said, I am really pleased with those last three games and it is something we can build on for Belfast, it is not going to be easy – it will be a tough day and a tough road game because Belfast are playing well just now.”
Discussing his side’s chances in Belfast, Pacha added: “I am expecting a real hard match, Belfast are playing really well now especially after some recent changes.
“We are hoping to keep progressing and keep doing the little things rights but it’s going to be a busy week with four games, so we need to treat every game with that right approach.”
The Stars will play in their final pair of three straight back-to-back games this week as they visit the Belfast Giants tonight (f/o 7pm) before welcoming Adam Keefe’s men to Tayside on January 2nd 2020, face off 5.00pm. Buy tickets HERE!
Dundee have won three and lost three to the Giants so far this season and have won twice at the SSE Arena already this year but Belfast have finally been able to string some wins together and that has taken them up to third place in the league.
On Saturday, the Tayside team made it two wins in a row both in the league campaign and against their biggest rivals.
A scoreless first period left the game wide open for any team to take and Pacha’s side were the first to strike as halfway through the match, Kevin Dufour beat Adam Morrison by putting his shot into the top left corner from the middle of the slot.
The lead was then doubled by a powerplay goal from one of the Tayside team’s latest additions to the squad, Matt Carter.
The Canadian winger beat Morrison on his right post from an extremely tight angle in the 35th minute and that extended his scoring streak to five points in his first four games as a Star.
A third goal was added early in the third period as a persistent Brett Stovin followed up on his own rebound to force the puck in after 42 minutes.
However, after 52 minutes, the Flyers finally found a way past Dundee netminder, Alex Leclerc as forward, Mike Cazzola deflected a shot down and away from the keeper before swiftly finishing into a wide-open net.
Dundee defenseman, Drydn Dow sealed the result with a 180 foot shot that found the empty Fife net in the 59th minute and that gave him his sixth goal in the last 10 matches.
Meanwhile, Belfast also completed the clean sweep of Glasgow Clan as they also won in back-to-back fixtures.
A 5-1 win at home on Friday was followed up with a 4-1 victory in Glasgow on Saturday.
Two of the Giants latest signings were on the scoresheet on Saturday as Rickard Palmberg netted a hat-trick and former Star, Elgin Pearce scored the second goal of the evening.
Brian Ward provided the other goal on Friday before David Goodwin (2), Curtis Hamilton and Curtis Leonard found the net on Saturday in Glasgow.
Belfast’s starting netminder, Shane Owen was missing from the line-up on Friday but started between the pipes in Scotland as Stephen Murphy filled in for the Canadian at home.
There was also no Kevin Raine all weekend for Belfast and Keefe left Lewis Morgan out of the squad on Saturday and carried him as their spare import.
Whereas, Dundee are only without defender, Kris Inglis who is still recovering from an upper body injury he picked up back at the end of November and he is expected to miss the last two games against the reigning Elite League and Challenge Cup champions.
Face-off in Belfast is at 7pm. Watch the LIVE stream HERE!
