Steelers’ weekend ruined after Stars pick up second big scalp

Some would consider defeat on Tayside to be something of a shock for a team of Sheffield’s calibre – particularly when facing a team who did not even make the play-offs last season.

But Jeff Hutchins’s side have come out flying this time around and, after defeating defending Elite League champions Nottingham Panthers 5-2 on the same surface on Friday night, it was clearly going to be a tough ask for Doug Christiansen’s team.

Dundee are the early-season pace-setters and deservedly lead the league standings after winning their first four games.

The Steelers left themselves with too much to do in the third period, Dundee having gone ahead after just seven minutes through Brock McPherson’s powerplay strike.

Steelers were level within five minutes thanks to Maxime Lacroix, but a 17th-minute strike from Mike Wirll edged the Stars ahead once again. The visitors found themselves 4-1 down at the end of the second after Billy Bagron and Nico Sacchetti (powerplay) found a way past Frank Doyle.

Rylan Galiardi gave the Steelers hope less than two minutes into the third with a powerplay marker and, although another goal came on the man advantage through Stefan Meyer at 50.03, the Stars held out for both points.

In Edinburgh, Lacroix led the way for the Steelers with a hat-trick after Meyer opened the visitors’ account in the third minute.

Jeff Legue (2), Tim Spencer, Galiardi, Jason Hewitt and Robert Dowd also got on the scoresheet, with Richard Hartmann and Curtis Leinweber (2) replying.

“Dundee played a great game, it was no fluke and everyone is currently chasing them for a good reason,” said Christiansen.

“Two weekends running we have won one and lost one – that’s not a habit we want to get into.”

Hull Stingrays threw away a three-goal lead to go down 4-3 at home to Cardiff Devils in the Challenge Cup.

Stingrays, who handed debuts to Kyle Mariani and Carl Lauzon, led through Jason Silverthorn (13.05), Matty Davies (14.16) and Derek Campbell (22.49).

But the Devils stole the game before the end of the second period with four unanswered goals, the last three coming in a 149-second spell. Phil Hill, Andrew Lord (2) and Chris Blight were on target for the visitors.

Hull player-coach, Sylvain Cloutier, said: “I know we had two new guys but we gave them the game in the second period. We need to play as a group for 60 minutes.”