FIFE FLYERS 1 TRADE-MART DUNDEE STARS 4
The Trade-Mart Dundee Stars booked their place in the Elite League playoffs with a 4-1 win in Kirkcaldy last night as they defeated their Tayside rivals, Fife Flyers to set themselves up with a Quarter-Final tie against Cardiff Devils.
By Kris Smith
The Stars made no changes to their line-up after falling to the Flyers in Dundee last night but Fife did lose former Star, Johan Eriksson from their roster before the game.
Dundee then got off to the perfect start as they took the lead just two minutes into the game after Spencer Naas broke down the ice and almost slipped the puck past Flyers goalie, Shane Owen but the shot slipped just wide but right into the path of Ryan Valentini for him to slot home the opener.
Marc LeFebvre’s men could have easily racked up a bigger lead in the first period but thanks to strong goaltending from Owen they remained only one goal behind at the first break but that did not stop the visitors from piling on the pressure in the middle session as in the 25th minute, Anthony Rinaldi buried his shot into the top corner of Owen’s net to double the lead.
Both sides would then have a powerplay each as Drake Pilon and then Dundee’s Brendan Harms both took two-minute trips to the box for minor penalties but neither side was able to cash in on the man advantage.
Rinaldi then found a second goal on 36 minutes as he broke down the left wing once again and instead of shooting, deked the puck past Owen to make it 3-0 and send the Stars into the third period with the simple task of finishing the job.
Although, the Flyers did not make it easy as whilst on a powerplay, Troy Lajeunesse won a penalty shot for the Kirkcaldy club and converted low past Lucas Brine, who had put in a sublime performance in the Dundee goal all night.
The Stars would not let their lead slip though and as the game came down to the final moments, when Tom Coolen pulled Owen for the extra attacker but Harms was able to hit the wide-open from his own end to book Dundee’s place in the playoffs.
Marc LeFebvre’s men will now take on Cardiff Devils in a two-legged Quarter-Final tie next weekend after finishing seventh in the Elite League table and they are potentially now four-games away from a playoff championship.
Man of the Match
Dundee: #44 Lucas Brine
Fife: #91 Troy Lajeunesse
Goals
1st:
0-1 Ryan Valentini (Spencer Naas, Brendan Harms) 02:19
2nd:
0-2 Anthony Rinaldi (Elijah Vilio, James Phelan) 24:09
0-3 Anthony Rinaldi (Unassisted) 36:47
3rd:
1-3 Troy Lajeunesse (Unassisted) 46:54 PS
1-4 Brendan Harms (Josh Brittain, Drydn Dow) 58:53 PPG
All images: Flyers Images.
