Shane Starrett (picture courtesy of Glasgow Clan) goes into Tuesday’s (1900) Elite League clash with Fife Flyers at Braehead with praise from an opposition coach ringing in his ears.
The 27-year-old American had an “exceptional” game, according to Storm coach Ryan Finnerty, as Glasgow Clan emerged with a 5-1 road win at Manchester Storm on Sunday.
His heroics helped second a three-point weekend for the Braehead club, sponsored Aspray Glasgow West by who were edged 3-2 by Coventry Blaze after a shootout in Glasgow following a 2-2 draw in regulation time on Saturday.
Starrett is a massive figure, standing 6ft 5in minus his skating boots, and he could be a major influence on Tuesday’s clash with Clan missing new defenceman Mitch Jones who has been placed in COVID-19 protocol.
The Elite League said that all the remaining Glasgow players and coaching staff tested negative ahead of the game in Manchester on Sunday and the club will continue to follow Government advice.
Meanwhile, coach Malcolm Cameron is still working on his emerging squad with puck management his prime concern going into the game.
Cameron said: “It was a really determined defensive effort (at Manchester) and we haven’t played a whole lot of games and not in a small building like this.
“I liked their effort and we scored some timely goals and we defended very well and had good goaltending. The one thing we are working on is puck management in the offensive zone so we don’t have to spend as much time defending.”
Fife, sponsored by UNISON Fife Health Branch, head for their first clash with Scottish rivals Clan buoyed by their first maximum point weekend.
Coach Todd Dutiaume was smiles better after the 4-2 road win at Nottingham Panthers on Sunday following the club’s 3-0 home success over former Premier Sports Elite League pace-setters Guildford Flames at The Fife Ice Arena 24-hours earlier.
The vastly experienced playcaller said people were now beginning to see what his hand-picked squad are capable off and the results, he added, were posted as the team now has some self-belief.
No 1 netminder Shane Owen again played a big part, pulling off a brilliant stop with just over 11 minutes left and again in the final two minutes when Panthers lost the puck and it broke to Carson Stadnyk who slotted into the empty net with 60 seconds remaining as Nottingham had pulled their netminder Kevin Carr.
The Canadian added: “We did just enough to hang on (at Nottingham).”
Fife remain eighth with ten points from 12 starts and Clan still prop up the ten-strong table with five points from five games while Dundee Stars are ninth with seven points from 13 fixtures.
Reflecting on the weekend, Dutiaume said the majority of his squad had 18 months off the ice because of the pandemic and he said: “We are starting to find our feet and add bodies into the line-up. We are also starting to pick up points.”
The road win was particularly pleasing for the coach as that has been an issue so far this term.
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