Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Stars boss urges toes as Clan visit
KITMART Dundee Stars head into what could be a season-defining couple of days as they go up against two sides that are also locked in a battle for the final play-off spots.
Stars face Glasgow Clan tonight at the Dundee Ice Arena in a game that marks the start of the Elite League’s first ever Pride Weekend.
All 10 teams will be wearing specially designed, rainbowthemed jerseys.
Dundee visit Manchester Storm on Sunday in a weekend that can be massive for the Taysiders, who, if results go their way, will jump to seventh place in the standings.
Stars currently sit on 29 points after 37 games, just two behind Sunday’s opponent Manchester, who have 30 points from 35 games.
A perfect four-point haul, would see Dundee reel in Glasgow as well, as Clan currently sit four points above in seventh.
Looking ahead to tonight’s crucial match, Stars head coach Omar Pacha said: “Obviously it is a huge weekend.
“But to say it’s season-defining games is still a bit early. We have to consider that and have that mindset within the locker-room to focus on how big these games are.
“If Glasgow have Killeen back, they will have some solid goaltending and they have some guys up front who can hurt us, so we have to be at our best and, defensively, we have to make sure we are as good as we were last Sunday.”
The Stars boss also gave an injury update for his side, adding: “O’Connor may still possibly be out for the weekend and Inglis will definitely be out.”
Against Zack Fitzgerald’s Clan, Stars have a 3-3 record and they are unbeaten at home against the Braehead side this season.
Omar Pacha’s men go into the games on the back of last Sunday’s huge 5-2 win over Cardiff Devils and, with five different scorers, there are goals right through their line-up.
Glasgow’s last outing saw them slip to a 5-2 loss at home to Belfast Giants with their goals coming from Marcus Jonsson and Matt Beca.
Clan have l ost three games straight but have also been without a number of players. In their last match they were missing goalkeepers Patrick Killeen and Gary Russell, defenders Liam Stenton and Craig Moore and forwards Mathieu Roy, Jack Musil and Scott Henderson.
Meanwhile, Stars head south to Manchester on Sunday and are hoping to prevent Storm from