By Kris Smith
Stars travel to Braehead tonight for their second game of the weekend but are still awaiting their first points.
A disappointing 3-1 home loss to Nottingham Panthers last night seen Stars waste the first of their three opportunities to catch Braehead in the Standings.
A massive two points are up for grabs and if Dundee can secure a win it will help to close the gap between them and the Glasgow side to three points.
Omar Pacha will be looking for his side to break their seven game losing streak but the Gardiner Conference clash is Braehead’s only game of the weekend and they will be well rested ahead of this huge match.
The last time both teams met, the Clan skated to back-to-back wins over Stars in a home and away double-header. John Tripp’s men secured a 3-1 win at the Braehead Arena before coming to Dundee and taking the points after holding off a Stars comeback, as the hosts lost 4-3.
Stars have lost 5 of the 7 previous meetings with Clan this year and tonight’s game is the final regular season fixture between the two clubs.
Brendan Brooks has accumulated 12 points against Dundee with 6 goals and 6 assists in the last seven meetings. Meanwhile in the last four games against Clan, Stars’ centre Brian Hart has scored 3 goals and assisted twice.
The Glasgow side come into this weekend’s fixture with three wins in their last five games. Two of those wins were against Stars and one against Fife but the Flyers also beat Braehead twice in those five games.
British forward Craig Peacock, Canadian forward Tyler Shattock and Czech forward Michal Gutwald will all return to the line-up for this weekend’s match.
However, defenceman Cameron Burt has been ruled out with a concussion and forward, Robert Lepine will not ice due to an upper body injury.
Dundee forward, Jimmy Jensen insists Stars have to be more “organised” at the back if they are going to be successful, he said: “We believe in what we’re doing and everyone is doing whatever they can to achieve our goal.”
“At this stage of the season every game and point we can secure is crucial to making it to that playoff spot.
“We have to be tight defensively and the special teams need to perform in order to have a successful game on the road. We have been giving up too many goals in our last few games, it is hard to win hockey games if we give up 5 or 6 goals.
“So, we have to start with being more organised in our defence.”
Tonight’s game in Glasgow faces-off at 7pm.
