The MKM Dundee Stars couldn’t overcome the Belfast Giants, falling 8-1 on the road in Challenge Cup action.
By Luke McGinnis
Dundee had a dream start, as Maxim Eliseev found the back of the net just seventeen seconds into the first period with a picture-perfect wrist shot from above the high slot.
JJ Piccinich equalised at 05:20, pouncing on a loose puck to beat Vladislav Pestov in close.
Piccinich scored his second of the night at 09:04 on the powerplay, finishing off a tic-tac-toe play to make it 1-2 heading into the first intermission.
Belfast would take a two-goal lead early in the second period through Cole Shudra, capitalising on a turnover in the neutral zone and firing the puck from the left circle into the Stars’ net at 22:17.
Logan Cockerill made it 1-4 at 26:29, breaking into the Stars’ zone with speed and backhanding the puck past Pestov.
Ciaran Long added a fifth shorthanded at 29:02, beating Pestov on a three-on-one rush.
Kaleb Pearson carried the puck across the blue line and fired a shot from the high slot past Pestov at 30:42, making it 1-6 and forcing the Stars to make a change in net.
JJ Piccinich completed his hat trick on the power play, snapping the puck past Dominick Jaglar at 33:18 to make it 1-7.
Tensions began to rise throughout the third period, with Powell Connor attempting to drop the gloves with Ciaran Long.
However, the Giants’ alternate captain wanted no part of Connor, leading to a powerplay opportunity for the home side.
Kaleb Pearson took advantage of this, finalising the scoring with his second goal of the game and securing an 8-1 victory for his club.
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