Late Lahtinen goal gives Stars first home win of season

Photo: Derek Black

The Dundee Stars celebrated their second win of the weekend thanks to a game-winning goal inside the final three minutes against the Belfast Giants.

Coming off the back of beating local rivals Fife 6-1 on the road 24 hours earlier, Dundee came flying out of the blocks and raced into a two-goal lead. Charlie Combs fired home with 3:05 played as the Stars made use of their powerplay while Scott Conway was in the box, and then the hosts doubled their lead with Combs again finding the top shelf on the ten-minute mark - a second powerplay goal for the Stars.

Period two belonged to the Giants, however, who were to draw level through the middle 20 minutes. David Goodwin's tip forced Adam Morrison into a fine save at 28:18, but the forward reacted quickly to poke his rebound home and cut the deficit in half. Eight minutes later the visitors were level when Sam Ruopp's shot went through traffic and into Morrison's net, setting up an all-to-play-for third period.

The third period was end to end although a little slower with tiredness starting to creep in. As things looked like they'd head to overtime, a Timi Lahtinen shot wasn't caught fully by Jackson Whistle and looped painfully into the Giants goalie's net with 2:12 left on the clock. The Giants pulled Whistle for the extra attacker to force an equaliser, but the gamble backfired with 59 seconds to go as DiIlon Lawrence forced a turnover in the neutral zone and found the empty net to secure the Stars a much-needed win.

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