By Kris Smith
The Kitmart Dundee Stars are aiming for six derby wins in a row when they take on their biggest rivals, Fife Flyers tonight in Kirkcaldy.
Stars have won the all five meetings this season and have so far racked up 18 goals against Flyers and have conceded just 10. Todd Dutiaume’s side will be desperate to get their first win over Dundee and even more motivated to make it happen on home ice.
Last night in Dundee seen Stars emerge victorious again after a goal bonanza in the middle period. Matt Marquardt’s first period powerplay goal gave Dundee the lead but Marcus Basara equalised for Fife early in the second. Marquardt and Brian Hart both converted on a five-on-three powerplay to make it 3-1.
Chad Smith’s tap in goal, pegged it back to 3-2 before Lukas Lundvald struck and restored Dundee’s two goal lead. Jordan Cownie brought down Flyers forward, Joe Basaraba and he scored from the resulting penalty shot but Hart was on hand to make it 5-3 shortly after.
Basara netted a powerplay goal for Fife and rounded off the scoring before a goalless final period seen a better defensive display from both sides.
Matt Bissonnette missed out for Stars last night and is unlikely to feature for the rest of the week. Meanwhile, the Flyers did not ice, Evan Bloodoff, Rick Pinkston, Craig Douglas and the indefinitely injured Chase Schaber.
Stars head coach Omar Pacha described last night’s 5-4 win as “gutsy” but praised the hard-work from his players who all stepped up.
He added: “I thought we competed well, we were unlucky not to have a bigger lead going into the third but overall they found a way to stay in the game but we were able shut it out in the third period so that was a great positive.
“They were trying to get us off our game, I don’t think it necessarily worked.
“I just thought it gave us more boost and energy and we were able to outskate them and we outplayed them massively in the first and even in the second we outplayed them too.
“Like I said, it was more of a disappointment that we weren’t up more than one after the second but that was one of those games where a team that just stays in, may get something but we were able to get the full two points.”
Last night, Stars forward Lukas Lundvald bagged his first goal against the Flyers this season and reflecting on the game he said: “It is always fun to win against Fife and especially to score goals.
“I have been looking forward to putting one in and celebrating with the fans.
“I think we played a solid game but every time we got the lead, we got shaky and stupid mistakes led to their goals.”
Looking to tonight’s game the Dane added: “We need to come out and close them down in their barn.
“We need to just play like we did last night and hopefully a lot of Stars fans show up and we get a great crowd like last time.
“I think they are going to play their game, they played their game last night but they maybe have some things to look at as we scored three powerplay goals last night but If we play our style, we will win.”
Tonight’s game at the Fife Ice Arena will face-off at 6:30pm.
