13 Apr 2024 | Play-off | QF | Ice Arena Wales |
Cardiff Devils | 4-2 | Dundee Stars |
Periods: Shots: | 1-0 (10-12) | 2-2 (11-12) | 1-0 (12-4) | Total: 33-28 |
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Referees: Rose/Dalton  |  Spectators: 3100 |
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Goals and assists
Both Cardiff Devils and Dundee Stars will go into the second leg of
their Quarter-Final series believing they can make the Playoff Finals
Weekend after the Devils took a 4-2 win in the first leg at a sold-out
building in South Wales.
Dundee came closest to opening the
scoring early with a shot coming back off the frame of Ben Bowns’ net as
the visitors started well. A good save by Bowns at one end led to the
Devils rushing down the ice and going ahead through Sam Duggan with 2:23
left in the opening period.
Ryan Valentini crashed a slap-shot past Bowns 54 seconds into
period two to level the game, but the Devils hit back 33 seconds later
on the rush with the returning Tyler Busch putting home a loose puck of
his own pass. 6:16 into the period, Jake Elmer was left all alone in
front of Ben Bowns to calmly deke and put the puck home and tie the game
once again. Cardiff found themselves ahead at the break thanks to Bode
Wilde's shot through traffic with 6:47 left in the period.
Busch added his second of the night to put the Devils 4-2 ahead
100 seconds into the final period. Having seen over 200 penalty minutes
in the three games between the teams at the Vindico Arena already this
season, it was no surprise that the third was a feisty one. Lucas Brine,
man of the match for the Stars, ended on 29 saves for the game, one
more than Bowns, as both goalies made good saves to prevent further
scoring.
The Stars will have to overturn a two-goal aggregate
score if they'e to advance, while the Devils have that cushion heading
into Sunday's game back in Dundee.