By Kris Smith
The Kitmart Dundee Stars face Glasgow Clan tonight as they aim to start 2019 off with a win.
Dundee stunned the league leaders, Belfast Giants, on Sunday as they came back from two-goals down to win 3-2 in Northern Ireland. Brian Hart’s brace along with a Charles Corcoran goal secured the points for the Tayside team as the pair picked up three points each on the night.
Glasgow played their last game on Hogmanay as they hosted Fife Flyers at the Braehead Arena. The teams were tied after the first stanza but two goals in the middle period gave the home side the lead. The third period seen Glasgow extend their lead to 5-1 before Flyers netted a second.
Monday’s win for Glasgow seen them jump above Stars into seventh place in the Elite League standings. However, Stars can retake seventh with a win against Clan and with the right results plus another win on Thursday, they can equal Fife’s points tally of 36.
A win on Wednesday would ensure Stars remain in the play-off spots as they continue with their push to make the post season. With just six points separating the teams in fourth and ninth, Dundee can move up a lot of places in the league standings with just a few positive results.
Dundee’s Matt Bissonnette could potentially return to action this week after a short spell out but Stars head coach Omar Pacha will be pleased to have no other injury concerns ahead of a three game-week for Stars. Clan were at full strength on New Year’s Eve.
The Scottish sides have already met three times this season and Stars claimed the first tie 2-1, A late goal from Matt Marquardt stole both points for the home side. Pete Russell’s men won the last two ties but required penalty shots to find a way past Dundee. Glasgow won 3-2 in Dundee and 5-4 in Braehead with Scott Pitt and Matt Beca scoring the game-winning penalty shots.
Matt Beca leads the Clan in scoring with 11 goals and 26 assists from 30 games. The 32-year has posted 75 points in his last two seasons which he spent with Manchester Storm and Clan. Meanwhile François Bouchard tops Dundee’s scoring chart with 12 goals and 17 assists from 33 games. Also on 12 goals, Matt Marquardt is tied with Bouchard as top goal scorer. Former Belfast Giant, Brendan Connolly is Glasgow’s leading goal scorer with 19 strikes this season.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s game, Omar Pacha said: “We want to start the new year with a bang and there is no better way to do than against a rival team like the Clan.
“We need to keep going now and keep pushing to stay in the play-off spots.”
Tonight’s game faces off at 7:30pm.
