By Kris Smith
The Stars play their tenth Challenge Cup Group Stage game tonight and every game is now a must-win if they hope to progress, with the final three fixtures being away to Flyers, Belfast Giants and Glasgow Clan.
Other teams must also drop points for Dundee to find their way into the second qualification place but firstly, they need to find a way past Tom Coolen’s side and have done so four out of five times already this season.
In the most recent meeting, Dundee were 7-0 winners as Alex Tonge, Brett Gravelle (2), Cole MacDonald, Ben O’Connor and Domenic Alberga (2) all found a way past Shane Owen in the Fife goal.
The Flyers were also shutout last night as they went down 3-0 in Glasgow against the Clan, with Owen in the net again and that leaves the Kirkcaldy club without a win in their last six matches.
Meanwhile, the Stars have won three of their last four after beating Nottingham Panthers for the second time in a week last night, as they claimed a 2-1 victory at home.
After a scoreless first period, the Taysiders struck twice in two minutes to open up a 2-0 lead as Zach Tsekos’ long-range effort flew straight past Rok Stojanovic to convert on the powerplay and captain, Drydn Dow tucked home a wraparound to double the lead.
However, Danny Stewart’s men hit back just two minutes after the restart as Reid Stefanson batted the puck past Richard Sabol in the Dundee goal but that would be the end of the scoring as the Stars shut out their English opposition to claim two more league points.
Speaking after last night’s win over Nottingham, Stars Head Coach, Marc LeFebvre said: “We know it is a game seven mentality, where winner takes all and keeps themselves alive in the cup, so we need to go in there and energise ourselves.
“I think we really gassed ourselves tonight in a good effort and win at home but we know what is at stake and they do not want to get embarrassed again like they did last week.
“So, we have to be ready, it is a tough building, a rivalry game and we will have a good travelling support so we want to send them home happy as well.”
“It is 0-0 again, we just have to go in there and take care of business one shift at a time, we know that is a building that is all about momentum, so we juts have to stay cool, calm and collected and play simple hockey like we have been doing lately and we should get the job done.”
Stars forward Zach Tsekos, who was on the scoresheet last night, then shared how the players are approaching tonight’s game, adding: “It has been a good few weeks for us and whether that is games or weeks of practices but at the start of the year, this is the team we thought we can beat.
“We are rounding into form now but there are still things to work on, although I think overall, we are confident group right now.
“On their end, we know we will get their best because they will not be too happy with how it went last week, so we have to expect a much better effort from them and if we assume they will play how they did last week then we will have our hands full.
“So, we just have to keep that intensity up and playing to the way that we know we can play.”
Face-off for tonight’s road game in Kirkcaldy is at 5:15pm.
All images: Flyers Images.
