Elite League: Edinburgh Capitals 5, Dundee Stars 3; Nottingham Panthers 4, Fife Flyers 5 (after overtime)
Edinburgh Capitals put their off-ice problems behind them to record another stunning home victory.
Only seven days after beating Coventry Blaze 5-2 coach Dmitri Khristich guided his injury-hit side to a 5-3 victory over Dundee Stars.
And Capitals dug deep as the Tayside team led through a Johan Andersson goal set up by player/coach Omar Pacha after nine minutes at bottom club Edinburgh Capitals.
But the roof fell in for the Tayside team when they lost four goals in an astonishing three minute spell at the end of the opening session.
The club’s success-starved fans were on their feet at the end of the Elite League game singing ‘Stand up for the Capitals’.
And they had every right to be proud of their side after an end-to-end tussle at Murrayfield.
It was Juris Upitis who was set up by busy Sergei Banashkov to open Capitals’ account after 16 minutes.
Konstantin Teslyukevich, who assisted in the opener, scored No 2 for the home side also on the power play.
Then Dylan Anderson on the power play made it 3-1 after 18min 14sec and Sergei Banashkov slotted the fourth 23 seconds after that.
The sides went into the dressing-room with Capitals in charge at 4-1 but Brian Hart slotted an unassisted strike only 47 seconds into the middle session to give Stars a lift.
Marc-Olivier Mimar followed-up with the third six minutes later with Pacha assisting.
Any hope Stars had to getting something from the game ended when Capitals leading points scorer Mike Cazzola scored at the far post after slick interplay also involving skipper Mike D’Orazio and Anderson.
Elsewhere, Ian Young stunned pace-setters Nottingham Panthers with an overtime strike as Fife Flyers again came from behind to beat one of the Elite League heavyweights.
Flyers, who were 5-1 behind at league champions Cardiff Devils last weekend before winning 8-6, celebrated again after the 25-year-old Canadian was set up by Danick Gauthier to net the game-winner only 36 seconds into the extra session.
Earlier, Fife were 3-0 behind after 11min 12sec. Mark Derlago opened the home side’s account after 13 seconds and Josh Shalla made it 2-0 nine minutes later.
And Brett Perlini popped in No 3 two minutes after that.
It was Peter LcBlanc’s power play strike which opened Flyers’ account. He was set up by Liam Heelis and Carlo Finucci three minutes later.
Panthers hit their fourth through a David Clarke on a power play after 30 minutes with Perlini claiming his second assist of the night.
But Young’s first goal sparked Flyers. He netted after 33 minutes with Ricards Birzins assisting.
Gauthier claimed Flyers’ third with 53 minutes on the clock with James Isaacs and Russ Moyer setting up the chance.
And Chase Schaber grabbed the equaliser unassisted after Fife’s coaching staff gambled by removing netminder Andy Iles. He counted after 58min 51sec.
The stage was then set for Young, a former ECHL (East Coast Hockey League) player, and he delivered.
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