COVENTRY BLAZE 3 TRADE-MART DUNDEE STARS 5
The Trade-Mart Dundee Stars made it two wins on the spin as they prevailed against Coventry Blaze on the road in what was their first clash with the West Midlands club this season.
By Kris Smith
The Stars handed new signing, Brent Beaudoin his debut as forward, Jake Elmer was scratched with an upper body injury and they were looking for another quick start like in last weekend’s win over Belfast Giants.
It took less than three minutes of play for Dundee to open up a two-goal lead as Ryan Valentini struck first, burying Spencer Naas’ cross-goal pass on two minutes and 31 seconds later, Drydn Dow doubled their advantage.
The Stars captain stepped in from the Blaze blueline and rifled a high shot past Taran Kozun to give the Tayside team a perfect start on the road.
However, the Blaze would strike back on six minutes as Alessio Luciani tipped Blake Thompson’s effort past Kevin Carr to make it a 2-1 game but the score would not change again before the end of the first period, as both teams began taking penalties.
In the second session, Marc LeFebvre’s men were soon on the penalty kill as defenseman, Kyle Pouncy was boxed for a delaying the game as the puck became pinned up against the boards.
The Blaze would then put the puck in Dundee net halfway through the powerplay but the referee’s whistle to stop play had already gone and the goal would be chopped off, however Kobe Roth batted in a rebound 30 seconds after the restart to tie the game up on 28 minutes.
Although, the Stars would find a way to get in front again as Tommy Parrottino pressed high and won possession back for the visitors before dropping a pass back for Josh Brittain to blasted past Kozun.
Danny Stewart’s men would then be quicker to respond as just over one minute later, Kim Tallberg skated through the Dundee defences and found a way past Carr to make it 3-3.
The two teams would still be level heading into the third period and the next goal would not be scored until late into regulation time, as with just over five minutes left on the clock, Johnny Walker stepped up to put the Stars ahead once again.
Walker moved in closer on goal and found a tight angle to lift the puck over Kozun and into the roof of the net, then as the Blaze went all-out for an equaliser, pulling their goaltender, Dundee’s Spencer Naas capitalised on an empty net to secure a 5-3 victory for Dundee.
The Stars made it back-to-back wins and moved up to seventh in the Elite League standings but they can rise further as they face the Blaze again tomorrow in Dundee and will be looking for a four-point weekend.
Man of the Match
Dundee: #15 Craig Garrigan
Coventry: #61 Alessio Luciani
Goals
1st:
0-1 Ryan Valentini (Spencer Naas, Brendan Harms) 02:20
0-2 Drydn Dow (Craig Garrigan, Tommy Parrottino) 02:51
1-2 Alessio Luciani (Blake Thompson, Cole Donhauser) 06:45
2nd:
2-2 Kobe Roth (Brady Norrish, James Shearer) 28:27 PPG
2-3 Josh Brittain (Tommy Parrottino, Craig Garrigan) 36:03
3-3 Kim Tallberg (Blake Thompson) 37:26
3rd:
3-4 Johnny Walker (James Phelan) 54:40
3-5 Spencer Naas (Ryan Valentini, Kevin Carr) 59:40 ENG
All images: David Martin.
