TRADE-MART DUNDEE STARS 1 BELFAST GIANTS 3
The Trade-Mart Dundee Stars had their season brought to an end last night as they were eliminated from the Elite League Playoffs by the league title and Challenge Cup winning, Belfast Giants who were 8-3 victors over two legs.
By Kris Smith
The second leg took place in Dundee on Sunday evening and with Belfast leading 5-2 from the first game, the Giants did not give the Stars any opportunity to even start their comeback attempt as they peppered the net with shots throughout the opening minutes before Cooper then started the scoring in the fifth minute.
The Belfast captain pounced on a loose puck that was heading into the Dundee end and released a fast wrist shot that Fiske would only be able to get a piece of but the rebound went skyward before dropping behind the Stars keeper and bouncing into the net.
Keefe’s side then swiftly killed off the tie as Piccinich capitalised on a chance at the near post to double their lead and that put the aggregate score at 7-2, just seven minutes into the second leg.
Dundee’s Xavier Pouliot then picked up an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for roughing up his opponent in the 10th minute and the Stars would then lose Ben O’Connor for slashing and that put them down to three skaters for a brief period.
Just as LeFebvre’s team were about to return to full strength, Carpenter would add a third goal for the Giants, on the powerplay in the 12th minute and that put the game out of reach for Dundee at 8-2 on aggregate.
In the second period, the tensions between the two teams boiled over once again as Pouliot and Craig Moore both dropped the gloves with Belfast’s Lake and Karl Boudrais, which ended with Moore and Boudrais both being ejected from the game.
The only other goal of the night came in the third period as the Stars netted a consolation goal to make it 8-3 overall and Spencer Naas lifted the puck past Whistle in the 54th minute to send the DIA crowd to their feet for one final time.
For the second straight season, the Stars have had their playoff run halted at the Quarter-Finals stage and they now begin their preparations for the 2025-2026 season.
Man of the Match
Dundee: #83 Ben O’Connor
Belfast: #1 Jackson Whistle
Goals
1st:
1-0 Mark Cooper (Mike Lee) 05:36
2-0 J.J. Piccinich (Unassisted) 06:59
3-0 Robert Carpenter (Unassisted) 11:59 PPG
2nd:
3rd:
3-1 Spencer Naas (Drydn Dow, Brendan Harms) 53:51
All images: Derek Black.
