Sanche hat trick keeps Stars' playoff hopes alive

Photo: Scott Wiggins

Philippe Sanche hit a hat trick to help Dundee Stars keep their playoff hopes alive with a road win in Coventry over the Blaze, a result which saw the Stars end a nine-game losing run stretching over a month.

The scoring was opened by the Stars when Phillippe Sanche's shot deflected into the net off of the faceoff, past Miklós Rajna in bizarre fashion, at 07:39 for the only goal of period one.

Period two started with four goals in a three and a half minute spell.. Philippe Sanche scored two in quick succession at 20:24 and 22:16 to complete a natural hat trick and put the Stars up by three. Ben Sokay then extended the lead further with a wrap-around on Rajna in the 23rd minute, a goal that marked the end of the Hungarian netminder's night. John Curran one-timed a pass into the net a minute later to get the hosts on the board, while a breakaway finish from JD Dudek halved the deficit with 1:22 left in period two.

Toms Rutkis' rebound finish after Paavo Hölsä's initial save gave the Stars their three-goal cushion back with 5:54 to play in period three, and although Curran pulled another back for the Blaze at 55:12 the visitors threw bodies in front a shots as the hosts tried to find a way back into the game. Dundee held on for a deserved 5-3 win.