Tigers Stuffed by Comets in Festive Fixture

The Tigers suffered the cruellest of defeats on Sunday night as they were downed 3 goals to 2 in the festive fixture between the 2 Dundee clubs.

Games between the Tigers and Comets this season have been close encounters and from the first puck drop this looked like it would be another of those bouts. After a delay to the face off due to the late arrival of the game officials the game got underway in earnest. Matt Landsburgh in the Tigers net and Matt Michie of the Comets were both tested early on but it was Michie who was first to fail as Scott Marr fired High in to the net with 3 minutes to go in the period. Tigers looked likely to take the lead in to the interval before Robbie Brown picked up his own rebound and rounded Landsburgh to tie things up with 17 seconds left to play in the period.

A quick start to the second period saw Tigers regain the lead after just 3 minutes as Pavel Pliskov found himself in the right place at the right time to slot a backhand shot through Michie’s 5-hole. As the teams exchanged penalties the opportunities racked up but neither side could take advantage and the session closed with the Tigers holding on to a slender lead.

The final stanza got underway with the tentativeness of the previous period banished. The teams exchanged chances but both keepers pulled off a series of fine saves. With 7 minutes to go however the Comets drew even as Jamie Whitelaw found space on the point to rifle a shot home. A draw looked like the most likely, and fair, result as the clock ticked down when a misplaced pass with Tigers in full control allowed John Gordon to break free, pick up the puck from the corner and work his way free to slot the puck in to the roof of the net with less than 7 seconds left in the period. A late Tigers rally was fruitless and the Comets inflicted their first victory of the season over the hosts in what was a typically passionate derby encounter.

Final score: Tigers 2 – Comets 3

MOM: Matthew Landsburgh