03 Mar 2019, 17:00 | Regular season | Dundee Ice Arena |
Dundee Stars | 4-3 | Coventry Blaze |
Periods: Shots: | 1-0 ( - ) | 0-3 ( - ) | 3-0 ( - ) |
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Referees: Pavel Halas/Allan Ward  |  Spectators: 1250 |
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Goals and assists
Dundee came back from a two-goal deficit after 40 minutes to win a crucial game in the race for the playoffs and leapfrog the Blaze in the standings.
The Stars led after one period thanks to a goal after 65 seconds of the game – a fantastic move from Jordan Cownie allowed him to pass to Fabrizio Ricci to tap in from close range.
Period two though was all about the Blaze, who turned the game completely on its head. Alex Forbes scored the equaliser at 24:52, before Shawn Pauly then put the visitors ahead at 32:23 after the puck deflected in off a defenseman’s stick as he tried to clear. By 39:01 the Blaze were then two ahead, Pauly again the scorer as Danny Stewart’s side took the lead into the break – a visibly frustrated Omar Pacha not impressed with his side on the mid-period interview.
Whatever Pacha said to his team in the locker room though clearly worked as they came out on a mission in the third. A loose puck around the net was poked home by Ricci to make it 2-3 2:59 into the final period, and with 47:21 played Brian Hart struck on a delayed penalty to tie the game. Under two minutes later the home crowd were on their feet again, Ricci completing his hat-trick and the turnaround with the game just over 49 minutes old. Blaze Head Coach Danny Stewart called his timeout after the goal to get his side going again, but some late penalties thwarted their chance of tying the game at the death.
Dundee held on for the win, while the Blaze will wonder what might have been after letting a two-goal lead slip.