Stars get first league road win and four-point weekend

Photo: William Cherry

The Dundee Stars earned their first road win in the league of the 2021/22 season and with it secured a four-point weekend on Sunday afternoon in Belfast.

Jackson Whistle was called into early action with arguably one of the saves of the season so far, diving across his crease to thwart a Stars chance while shorthanded.

The giants had the better of the chances across most of the opening period, but they found themselves a goal behind when Ben Lake was called for hooking, and the Stars powerplay needed only 38 seconds to get to work - Charlie Combs with the go-ahead goal at 17:33.

Period two was very much the hosts with the possession, but the Stars had a couple of breakaway chances to extend their lead - Gabriel Desjardins ringing one off the post and the scores stayed level. Dundee took a couple of penalties and despite killing them off, the pressure eventually told when Ciaran Long's shot went through Adam Morrison and trickled into the net - the play notable for an excellent spin from Kyle Baum in his own zone.

The Stars were back ahead 4:59 into the final period with Connor Sills converting on the powerplay to make it two for Dundee's special teams on the night. At the other end Adam Morrison pulled off more good saves to keep the Stars ahead, but it was another Whistle dive across the crease that kept the Giants just one behind. The Giants were inches away from tying the game in a scramble in front of the Dundee next with just over 54 minutes to go, but having not converted the Stars broke and had Drydn Dow wrist home to make it a 3-1 lead with just shy of six minutes to play.

Skating 6-on-3 inside the final three minutes, Jordan Boucher got the Giants back to within one with 1:24 left. The hosts then crashed Morrison's net for an equaliser but couldn't force another puck into his cage, and Dundee held on for the win.

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