MANCHESTER STORM 4 TRADE-MART DUNDEE STARS 2
The Trade-Mart Dundee Stars battled hard but were ultimately edged out in Manchester by the Storm as they failed to make their chances count in a 4-2 defeat.
By Kris Smith
The Stars made their Elite League debut with a full roster availabale as Ryan Valentini and Jake Elmer returned to the line-up and Ex-NHLer, Joe Morrow made his debut for the Storm.
The game would be level throughout the first two periods after Jonathan McBean tipped Drydn Dow’s shot past Evan Weninger after five minutes, but Dallas Ehrhardt would tie the game up on 18 minutes, as his shot found the top corner of Kevin Carr’s net.
Marc LeFebvre’s men could have gone into the first break with the lead after Tommy Parrottino was awarded a penalty shot after he was slashed by C.J. Garcia as he went through on goal but he would be denied by Weninger.
In the second period, the home team took the lead through Stephen Johnson as he batted in the rebound from Zach Sullivan’s saved effort in the 32nd minute but just one minute later, Anthony Rinaldi made it an even game.
With the puck being dumped into the Manchester end, Parrottino would take the puck from behind the goal line and send it out in front of the net for the on-rushing Rinaldi to turn past the Storm keeper and make it 2-2.
The Stars again came close to taking the lead before the break as with less than a minute to play in the second stanza, Rinaldi found the back of the net again but the goal would be disallowed for goaltender interference and no video review would take place.
With only 20-minutes left in regulation, the next goal would be critical and in the 49th minute, Andreas Heier would smack a one-timer past Carr from between the face-off circles to give Manchester the lead.
Dundee pushed for another equaliser and forced Weninger into a number of good saves but Johnson would wrap up the two points for the Storm with a shorthanded goal, as he and Will Merchant forced a turnover on the blueliner and broke down the ice, with Johnson finishing the chance at the back post.
The Storm held off a late Stars surge and also killed off a powerplay in the final minutes to keep Dundee zero for six on the man advantage and the final buzzer secured Manchester’s first league victory on home ice.
The two teams face a quick turnaround and will do it all again tomorrow in Dundee, with the Stars ready for revenge and hungry to claim their first competitive victory.
Man of the Match
Dundee: #6 Drydn Dow
Manchester: #12 Stephen Johnson
Goals
1st:
0-1 Jonathan McBean (Drydn Dow, Josh Brittrain) 05:35
1-1 Dallas Ehrhardt (Loren Ulett, Andreas Heier) 17:57
2nd:
2-1 Stephen Johnson (Zach Sullivan, Will Merchant) 31:03
2-2 Anthony Rinaldi (Tommy Parrottino, Ryan Valentini) 32: 08
3rd:
3-2 Andreas Heier (Santeri Haarala, Tyler Hinam) 48:49
4-2 Stephen Johnson (Will Merchant) 53:52 SHG
All images: Storm Images.
