Stars recover to beat Flyers in OT
Photo: Derek Black
Dundee Stars stayed top of Group B in the Challenge Cup with an overtime win against rivals Fife Flyers. The Flyers had won the meeting between the teams the night before, picking up three points over the weekend.
The visitors opened the scoring through Johan Porsberger at 08:09, capitalising on a turnover in the Stars’ zone before firing into the top corner past Emil Kruse.
Fife doubled their lead just three minutes later in unusual fashion. A shot from Porsberger at 11:11 struck the back post of the Stars’ net but was initially waved off. Play continued before a review confirmed the goal and extended the Flyers’ advantage to 2–0.
"I think we competed hard, but it's tough to lose when you're two goals up," said Porsberger, who finished the weekend with four goals against Dundee. "I didn't score for five or six games and now I seem to have got that monkey off my back. I play with good line-mates who are getting great pucks to me."
Dundee responded almost immediately, with Brad Schoonbaert sending a bouncing puck past Shane Owen at 12:02 after sustained pressure in the Flyers’ zone to cut the deficit to 2–1.
The Stars equalised early in the second period as Drydn Dow’s shot from the wall found its way through traffic at 27:00. Spencer Naas then put Dundee ahead at 33:01, converting on a breakaway for his fourth goal in as many games.
Fife quickly replied, with Jaka Šturm tipping a shot past Kruse at 37:01 for his first goal as a Flyer, before Keaton Jameson restored the visitors’ lead just 20 seconds later to send them into the break 4–3 ahead.
Schoonbaert struck again at 47:33, finishing off a passing move in close with a one-timer from the slot to level the score at 4–4.
"Our compete level was good and we controlled a lot of the game," commented Schoonbaert post-game. "We spent a lot of time in their zone; there were times when things didn't go our way but we stuck with it."
Neither team could regain the lead as regulation time ended and overtime was required. Matt Berry was the hero for the Stars, stealing the puck in the Fife zone and firing past Owen for the game-winning goal at 63:52.
"You definitely don't want to get swept on any weekend, but especially not against Fife. We weren't thrilled with how we played there, and felt like this was a game we needed to have," added Schoonbaert. "To get a couple of goals tonight was a good feeling, and especially for us to get the win."
