The Stars arrived in Kirkcaldy with the additional boost of Jimmy Jensen returning to the line-up as they attempted to claim their first conference win of the 2017/18 season.
The Flyers were without Charlie Mosey but Tommy Muir had made a return to the team sheet. The puck dropped at the Fife Ice Arena and after just three minutes referee Pavel Halas called the first of the evenings many penalties, Stars head coach Omar Pacha was the first to sit for two minutes on a tripping call. The Flyers failed to punish Dundee but did not make the same mistake on their second chance. Riley Stadel was called on a hooking infraction which led to a chance for Chase Schaber and he buried his effort into the back of the net at 6:50.
Todd Dutiame’s men failed twice more on the powerplay as the Stars poor discipline continued with two more hooking penalties to end the first period.
Omar Pacha’s side would get the first powerplay of the second period as Danick Gauthier received the fourth hooking penalty of the night but could not find an equaliser despite good pressure on the Fife goal. Before the Stars man advantage ended they received a bench penalty for too-many men on the ice, cancelling out their powerplay for a 4-on-4 situation. After Gauthier was released from the penalty box the Flyers swiftly took advantage of their extra man and put the puck in the back of the net, Peter LeBlanc was credited with goal at 26:03 PP
However Dundee went straight back on the defensive as Stadel was sent back to the box on a slashing infraction and that provided the Flyers with the opportunity for a third powerplay goal of the evening and it was Carlo Finucci who beat Travis Fullerton for the second time this season at 29:33.
The game took a turn as Fife took three penalties on the bounce; including a roughing and holding of the stick infringement but it was Gauthier’s slashing penalty that the Stars took full advantage of, with just one second remaining in the second period, Marc-Olivier Mimar sent the puck into the Fife net and reducing the Flyers lead to 3-1.
Referee Halas continued to add to the game’s longlist of fouls as he penalised Jim Jorgensen for slashing just thirteen seconds into the third period. The Stars powerplay percentage dropped to just 20% after they failed to produce on their fifth attempt. The home side failed to make another two powerplay chances count as they tried to put the game to bed but they still had a higher production rate, as they succeeded on three of eight powerplays for a 37.5%.
Evan Bloodoff restored Fife’s three goal lead when his shot found the net at 54:49 and Josh Scoon sealed the two points for his side when put the Flyers 5-1 ahead at 56:03. Fullerton and Scoon were highlighted as the ‘Man of the Match’ award winners for their respective teams.
The Stars still remain winless in the Gardiner Conference but after playing only two games it will not be a worry for the Tayside team. They now face the Belfast Giants in the Elite League at the DIA tonight and Adam Keefe’s Irishmen will be hungry for some points after falling 3-0 to the Cardiff Devils in the SSE Arena in Belfast.
A win for Omar Pacha and the Stars could tie them in 10th place with fellow Scots, the Braehead Clan. Meanwhile a win for the Giants can tie them at the top with current league leaders, the Nottingham Panthers.
