Devils into finals weekend

Photo: Derek Black

Dundee came out hard as they looked to overturn the two-goal aggregate deficit from the first leg, and peppered Ben Bowns’ net inside the opening five minutes. Jake Elmer let a shot go just wide while Ryan Valentini shot just over before Spencer Naas followed up on a rebound from a Valentini shot to put the Stars ahead on the night at 3:11, and just one behind on aggregate. The Devils steadied things and were level just short of three minutes later as Jamie Arniel lifted the puck over a sprawling Lucas Brine with 6:09 played. The following 13 minutes and change were more even than the opening phases that the Stars had controlled, but Bowns was mainly the reason why the teamed skated off all square at the break.

The Stars were restricted to fewer chances in period two, mostly coming on rushes up the ice. Justin Crandall almost put the Devils ahead in the final three minutes of the period but shot just wide. Crandall did put the Devils into the lead on the night when he finished a nice passing play at 39:21, while Bowns made a point-blank save as the clock ticked down to keep his side three ahead on aggregate. Earlier in the period, Sam Duggan threw himself in front of a Drydn Dow shot to prevent the Stars going ahead.

Arniel's shorthanded tally 87 seconds into period three was the blow that probably put the tie beyond the Stars at an unfortunate time. The hosts battled to try and get themselves back into things, and did have a goal to cheer thanks to captain Dow with 1:46 to play.

However, it was the Devils’ weekend as they took the 3-2 win to advance 7-4 on aggregate.