By Kris Smith
Corbett signed for the Stars in 2004 and in his only year with club, he made 28 appearances and bagged 22 points over the course of the season that ended with Dundee being crowned the British National League Playoff Champions.
Scott has only recently retired but was still playing hockey for many years after leaving Scotland in 2005.
Firstly, he discussed how his life went after leaving the Stars and he began: “After I left Dundee, I toiled around in the Southern Professional Hockey League for a few years playing in North and South Carolina, Florida and Richmond, Virginia.
“From there I considered retiring and going back to school but then I received an offer to play in the German Oberliga for the Erfurt Black Dragons.
“After that season, I decided to come to Australia to play in the Australian Ice Hockey League for the Melbourne Ice.
“I played one season for the Ice and then helped start up a new team known as the Melbourne Mustangs.
“From there I played parts of a few more seasons with the Mustangs and the Ice culminating with winning the Goodall Cup in 2017.
“Throughout my tenure, I helped out with numerous hockey schools (NLHA, AIS, IHV) and helped grow the game in Melbourne.
“Then I hung up the blades in 2018.
“I have lived in Melbourne for 10 years now and I traded my hockey sticks in for golf clubs and now work as a golf course superintendent which I thoroughly enjoy.
“I got married and was blessed with my beautiful daughter, Aryana, who is now six and is absolutely amazing!
“She also loves cheering on the Maple Leafs with her daddy.”
Corbett left Dundee almost 15 years ago but he still has plenty of memories from his year in Scotland and while nothing beats the memory of lifting the playoff trophy, he admitted he loved the season as a whole.
Scott added: “I have nothing but great memories from Scotland and playing for the Stars, the most obvious is winning the BNL playoffs but it was the overall experience that I cherish.
“I have been fortunate enough to travel a fair bit through hockey but I can undoubtedly say that my season in Dundee was the most memorable and fulfilling.
“Our fans were absolutely amazing, the rink was one of the best and the post-game karaoke battles we all had will never be forgotten, but it was the friendships I made that still endure to this day.
“I am in touch often with Hockey Gran as most of the former players are, her and Jack were always great to us, but that certainly doesn’t diminish the rest of the Stars faithful and the role they all played during that season.
“I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how important they all were to our success.”
However, the Canadian winger does have another memory that stands out and he said: “I have told this story a few times over the years, but I remember a certain home game during that season vividly.
“We were losing pretty badly with about ten minutes left and all of a sudden every fan in the arena stood up and started cheering.
“For the next ten minutes, you would have thought we were up by ten goals, the sound was deafening and it was awe-inspiring.
“On the bench, we couldn’t believe what was happening, none of us had ever experienced anything like it and I firmly believe that was a turning point for us.
“The additions of Linds (Evan Lindsay), Morgy (Cory Morgan) and Scotter (Mark Scott) definitely put us over the top but it was the undying faith that the Stars fans showed that enabled us to achieve what we did.
“Winning it for them was just as sweet as us winning for each other.”
Corbett also talked about how he loved wearing the Stars jersey more than anything and how special it was to him.
“My favourite moment in a Stars jersey, aside from winning the championship, was actually the jersey itself”, he said.
Scott continued: “As some of you may remember, I left the team prior to Christmas only to return just before the playoffs.
“Well during that time, they auctioned off my blue #97 and since they only made one of them for the whole season, I couldn’t get it back.
“So when we played in our blue jerseys, I think I had to wear #6 or some other random number, with no name bar on the back of it but it didn’t matter, I was just happy to be back.”
He was 26-years-old when he landed in Scotland ahead of the 2004-2005 season but Corbett shared more about how the then Stars Head Coach, Roger Hunt convinced him to come and play in Dundee.
He explained: “The summer prior to joining the Stars I was contacted by Roger Hunt, who is from my hometown of Dunnville.
“I have known Roger for years and when he heard I might be available, he set the wheels in motion.
“The icing on the cake was that he also signed my best buddy, Scott Barnes.
“Barnzy and I had played together numerous times growing up but had never had the chance to play together at the professional level.
“He was obviously an integral part of the team’s success, and arguably the heart and soul of our team, so to win it with him was the highlight of my career.”
As with every member of this championship winning team, we have asked them how it felt to lift that trophy and Corbett responded: “How did winning the championship feel? I don’t think words could ever do it justice.
“We did something so unique and special that season and nothing else I did in my career would ever come close to that.
“We were underdogs in every series and no doubt an afterthought entering the payoffs.
“Bracknell Bees were supposed to walk all over us and dispose of us of quickly but something happened in that first round that is still unbelievable.
“I have never been a part of a team that came together like we did.
“Linds was other-worldly in net and if we don’t have him, none of this happens at all.
“His calmness and level of play was amazing to see, when you have got a guy like that back there, it gives the rest of us confidence to play our game and take chances.
“And our captain, Shmyrzy, what can I say? He would not allow us to lose and he elevated his play to a level where you couldn’t help but follow and fall in line.
“He was so valuable because he could play both forward and defence if we needed him to and he did it unselfishly.
“Whatever the team needed, a big hit, fight or a timely goal, Jason provided us with it.
“Morgs and Barnzy led the way up front but not without the contributions of many others chipping in. Lochs (Patric Lochi), JD (John Dolan), Wishy (Gary Wishart), Davey Smith, Bear (Paul Berrington) and others provided the kind of depth and level of play required for any team to succeed.
“And on the back end, it was (Christian) Borgatello and Marshy (Jeff Marshall), who solidified the D-corps.
“Everyone came together and contributed and once we got passed the Bees, we all knew we were on the cusp of doing something special.
“But perhaps the best part of winning it all was sharing it with fans.
“We completed our journey in Guildford, but you would never know we were in another city.
“I’m willing to bet the contingent of fans who made the trip down, outnumbered the locals.
“We honestly felt like it was a home game, after all the pomp and circumstance, having our picture taken on the ice, in front of the Stars fan section was the ultimate feeling.
“Many of the fans joined us in the room to celebrate after and the people I felt the most happy for were the Ward brothers and family.
“They are some of the nicest people I have ever met in hockey and in life really.
“Everything they did for us will never be forgotten and let’s face it, without them and the sacrifices they made, there is no Stars – there is no championship.
“To Charlie, Mike and Steve, from all of us, thank you.
“And to everyone else behind the scenes, this was your championship as well and you certainly earned it.”
Finally, Scott sent a message back for the fans in Dundee and he said: “To all Stars fans, past and present, I wish you all the best and hope that you are all safe and healthy.
“I have always wanted to come back to Dundee and hopefully when/if the world gets back to some sense of normality, then we can all get back and relive those memories together.
“I think I can speak for all the guys who played that year, if we had been accepted into the EIHL, we would have all come back, that’s how special it was.
“To all, thank you, we couldn’t have done it without you.
“Corby #97.”
That concludes our series of ‘Look Back’ articles on the fourth Dundee Stars season but there is plenty more still to come, as next week we take you back to the 2005-2006 season.
If you want to be a part of the historic 20th Dundee Stars season then you can buy your season tickets by contacting [email protected]
