By Kris Smith
The Stars had Canadian forward, Philippe Sanche in the line-up on Saturday night as he made his second debut for the club after re-joining the team last month and injured pair, Xavier Pouliot and Brogan O’Brien remained out of action.
It would be the visitors who were on top early as Coventry almost scored the first goal after just one minute of play but Dundee netminder, Richard Sabol slid from post-to-post to keep Kim Tallberg’s shot from point blank range out of the net.
A quick video review confirmed the game would remain scoreless but the Stars would quickly try to change that as Sanche and Domenic Alberga would both have opportunities from close range but on each occasion the puck slipped wide of goal.
The first goal of the night looked certain to come when Jake Elmer got in behind the Coventry defence but Mat Robson’s leg pad would keep his backhanded effort out and at the other end of the ice, Sabol would only have seven saves to make but most were highlight reel worthy as he dove across the goal and used his shoulder to deny the English side’s counter-attacks.
Inside the final minute of the opening period, the long-awaited first goal came as Keanu Yamamoto would break the deadlock with a cheeky effort from a tight angle that would bounce into the back of the Blaze goal after hitting Robson’s skate as he pushed off the post.
Marc LeFebvre’s men came out for the second period and would go straight onto the powerplay as Coventry’s Morten Jurgens was punished for interfering with Dundonian, Jonathan McBean but the home team would fail to cash in on the powerplay and so would their opposition.
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All images: Derek Black.
