COVENTRY BLAZE 4 TRADE-MART DUNDEE STARS 2

The Trade-Mart Dundee Stars saw their unbeaten run halted by Coventry Blaze on Saturday night as they came out on the wrong side of a 4-2 scoreline, after an incredibly tight battle all-night long.

By Kris Smith

The Stars were down two players heading into Coventry as forward, Ryan Valentini missed out through illness and joined defenseman, Kris Inglis on the sidelines, but the Blaze iced a full line-up and stuck with Taran Kozun in between the pipes.

Both teams were quick to test the goaltenders but the score would not change in the opening minutes as the end-to-end action that would last all night begun.

The first goal would soon come though and on eight minutes, Carter Johnson’s one-timer put the Stars ahead and they took a deserved lead after beginning to take control of the game.

Dundee had broken out quickly on the rush and with a three-on-one attack, Tommy Parrottino connected with Craig Garrigan before the latter sent the puck from left to right, for the waiting to Johnson to smack home.

The Blaze would push back for an equaliser but failed to find a way past Kevin Carr in the Stars goal and the Tayside team went into the first break 1-0 up.

In the second period, both sides would have an opportunity each on the powerplay but after Dundee failed to capitalise on theirs, Coventry would cash in.

In the 27th minute, Kim Tallberg skated to the middle of the offensive zone and picked his spot to beat Carr and tie the game, which really sparked the home team’s life and they brought a higher tempo into the match.

Danny Stewart’s men then soon moved into the lead as Tallberg turned the puck home again, this time deflecting Ian McNulty’s shot past Carr, inside 35 minutes.

Dundee needed a big third period but in the first 10 minutes, neither they or Coventry could find the next goal which would be crucial for either team.

The decisive goal was eventually scored on 53 minutes as Alessio Luciani jammed home a rebound at Carr’s near post and that gave the home side the two-goal cushion and the breathing room they needed.

However, the Blaze have a habit of losing leads late on and they allowed Jake Elmer to cut it back to a one-goal game with just over five minutes to play, as he smacked home the rebound from Drydn Dow’s slapshot.

Marc LeFebvre then used his timeout with just under two minutes left on the clock to organise his team and pull the keeper for an extra attacker but despite their efforts, Kobe Roth put the puck into an empty net with 25 seconds remaining to seal the result.

The Stars hot streak may be over but they remain in second place and have lost just two in their last nine games – both to Coventry – but that form will be important ahead of a big week of hockey, as they welcome Cardiff Devils on Wednesday night and then Sheffield Steelers on Saturday, before visiting Nottingham Panthers on Sunday.