TRADE-MART DUNDEE STARS 3 CARDIFF DEVILS 6
The Trade-Mart Dundee Stars came up short in a high-scoring and intense battle with Cardiff Devils on their last visit of the regular season to the DIA on Sunday evening.
By Kris Smith
The Stars named an unchanged line-up as Lucas Brine remained between the pipes with the recovering Kevin Carr backing him up and new signing, Xavier Pouliot still making his way to Scotland.
The opening period would be physical, feisty and action-packed as four goals were scored, with the first going to the visitors on the five-minute mark.
Cole Sanford would be played in behind the Dundee defence by a long-stretching pass from Cody Donaghey and he raced towards Brine before pulling the puck back across the keeper at the last second, slotting it into the bottom corner.
The Stars had two powerplays in the first session but just as the second expired, they found a way to equalise as Jake Elmer netted his third goal in three games on 12 minutes.
The Canadian picked up a loose puck and flew down the left wing before unleashing a low shot that beat Cardiff keeper, Ben Bowns between his pad and his glove.
Dundee had created the better scoring chances and kept Bowns the busier of the two netminders but they were unable to get ahead and saw the Devils capitalise on another chance in the 17th minute.
Joey Martin would restore the Welsh club’s lead as he fired past Brine from close range after the Devils forced a turnover in the Stars end and then two minutes later, Tyler Busch would finish off a well-worked passing move by Cardiff, as he slotted home from the left side of the net.
In the second period, Elmer would pull another goal back for the Tayside team as he put his skill set on show by dangling his way through the Devils defence, before burying the puck in the top corner with a cross-goal shot from point-blank range, on 31 minutes.
Marc LeFebvre’s men then tied the score at 3-3 as Elmer was involved again in the build-up but it was Carter Johnson who tipped Drydn Dow’s shot past Bowns, inside 35 minutes.
Just as the Stars looked to have gained all the momentum, they were put on the penalty kill as Josh Brittain was boxed for a tripping foul and the Devils would cash in on a huge slice of luck as a fluke bounce 0ff the skates of Trevor Cox, sent the puck past Brine to put Cardiff 4-3 ahead in the 39th minute.
Pete Russell’s side then added to their lead early in the third period as Tyler Busch tipped home Bode Wilde’s shot on 41 minutes and despite a hard-fought effort from Dundee, as they outshot their opponents 17-5 in final 20 minutes, they could not find another way past Bowns.
The Stars hounded the Devils net with shots but the only other goal would be scored by Ben Davies into an empty net, after 58 minutes as Dundee gambled with the extra attacker.
The Elite League table only continues to get tighter and the Stars remain in sixth place on 38 points but with only 15 games left to play every point will be crucial and decisive, as they visit Coventry Blaze on Saturday, before hosting Glasgow Clan on Sunday.
Man of the Match
Dundee: #98 Jake Elmer
Cardiff: #13 Tyler Busch
Goals
1st:
0-1 Cole Sanford (Cody Donaghey, Cole Ully) 05:04
1-1 Jake Elmer (Unassisted) 12:01
1-2 Joey Martin (Trevor Cox, Josh Batch) 16:15
1-3 Tyler Busch (Mark Richardson, Brandon Alderson) 17:41
2nd:
2-3 Jake Elmer (Craig Moore, Carter Johnson) 31:09
3-3 Carter Johnson (Drydn Dow, Brent Beaudoin) 34:50
3-4 Trevor Cox (Cody Donaghey, Bode Wilde) 38:26 PPG
3rd:
3-5 Tyler Busch (Bode Wilde, Josh Batch) 41:48
3-6 Ben Davies (Cody Donaghey, Ben Bowns) 58:10 ENG
All images: Derek Black.
