Alberga ends 2+3 as Stars thrash Flyers
Photo: Derek Black
Domenico Alberga shone as Dundee Stars thrashed Fife Flyers 7-0 on Friday night at Dundee Ice Arena to keep their chances of making the next round of the Challenge Cup alive.
"It's really good for the group, I think we've really struggled to play a full 60 minutes and complete games so for us to get a big win and play the full game it's good for us going forward," said forward Yamamoto who ended the night with six points.
In a crucial derby between two Scottish rivals, the Stars wasted no time getting on the scoresheet at 01:22. A play that started with Keanu Yamamoto causing a turnover in the neutral zone, the forward brought the puck into the Flyers' zone where a tic-tac-toe play with Alberga and Tonge managed to beat Shane Owen and give the home team an early lead.
Both teams generated solid scoring opportunities throughout the period, with both goalies being called upon to make crucial saves. However, at 13:31, Dundee struck again to double their lead. A faceoff win by Kameron Kielly sent the puck to the stick of Drydn Dow, who fired and found a deflection off Brett Gravelle in front of the Flyers' net, sending the home team into the second period up 2-0.
The Flyers came into the second period looking to equalise early, but after generating chances it was the Stars who rushed into the Flyers zone and slotted their third home at 26:04. Domenic Alberga skated the puck over the blueline, and after Owen made an initial save the puck fell to Cole MacDonald who sent it past the Flyers' netminder.
A chance for the Flyers in the Stars' zone was saved by Richard Sabol which allowed the Stars to rush up the ice and score their fourth goal, making it 4-0. Alex Tonge took the puck into the offensive zone and took the first shot which was saved by Owen, however the Stars forward caught the rebound and passed the puck to Ben O’Connor who scored his first of the season at 28:02.
After killing two minor penalties, the Flyers couldn’t clear their zone which allowed the Stars to capitalise and score their fifth of the night at 34:41. A shot from the point by Cole MacDonald originally went wide of the net, but it allowed Kameron Kielly to get a shot on Owen from a tough angle. The netminder made an initial save, but the puck fell to Brett Gravelle who slotted the puck into the back of the net and made it a 5-0 game going into the third period.
Alberga added two in the final period to take his total to five points on the night as the Stars ran out comfortable winners.
"It's huge for the confidence especially during this stretch, it's been tough on everyone so to get on the board it feels good but we've got to keep it going," added Yamamoto.
"We've got to play the full 60. Through this rough stretch we have played some good hockey but we just had some breakdowns throughout so at practice we're just working hard and making sure we're dialled in."
