DUNDEE TIGERS 2
PAISLEY PIRATES 3

AFTER the previous evening’s easy victory over Inverness, Paisley were made to work for the points by a determined home side in Dundee.

The main talking point, however, was a bizarre performance from referee Clark, who handed out 73 minutes of penalties, 61 of them to Paisley.

It didn’t take long for Paisley to get into penalty trouble, Colin McMillan taking the first of eleven minor penalties dished out to Pirates after only 75 seconds.

Tigers almost took advantage of the powerplay, but Hannah fired off the post.

Pirates were to spend the majority of the first ten minutes shorthanded, including a lengthy spell skating at three v five, but despite this two-man advantage, Tigers lacked bite.

Ejected

The first major talking point came just before the ten minute mark, James Clark being ejected from the game on a five plus game misconduct for an unspecified offence.

The penalties kept coming as referee Clark struggled to maintain control but it wasn’t until the 17th minute that Tigers finally capitalised, Hannah firing a shot home from the point through a ruck of players. Inevitably it was a powerplay goal.

The second period started as the first had with McMillan in the box after he was adjudged to have attempted to butt end an opponent, this carrying a 2+2+10 minute spell in the box.

Given the disjointed events of the first half of the match, neither side being able to settle down, the game became increasingly scrappy with neither side seemingly able to string constructive moves together.

Pirates equalised in the 32nd minute. Tigers struggling to clear a loose puck, it broke to John Churchill in front and he rifled home.

This seemed to settle Pirates and they dominated the remainder of the period, but couldn’t get their noses in front. Indeed Tigers could have gone it at the break back in front but Carstairs couldn’t convert another powerplay chance late in the period.

Pirates largely cut out the penalties in the final session and with this they began to dominate.

They had the puck in the net again in the 43rd minute but Stuart Miller was judged to have kicked it in.

Pirates found themselves on a rare powerplay with ten minutes remaining, but almost gave up a shorthanded goal when Guilcher was allowed to race in on John Russell. However, the netminder was equal to the task.

Pirates rallied from this and took the lead in the 54th minute, Miller forcing home from close range. They appeared to have tied up the points two minutes later when Myles Watson scrambled a third.

Tigers, however, weren’t beaten, Guilcher scoring from in front of the visitors’ net with just over a minute remaining and he set up a nervy final minute for Paisley.

Tigers called a time-out after the goal, but, surprisingly didn’t pull their goalie in the time that remained.
So with Pirates holding on for a hard-earned two league points, it sets things up nicely for next Saturday’s rematch at Dundee in the first leg of the Spring Cup semi final.

MAN OF THE MATCH - Paisley: John Russell; Inverness: John Robb
SCORING - Paisley: Churchill 1+1, Watson, Miller 1+0, Swiatek 0+2, G. Nelson, Morris, McLauchlan 0+1; Dundee: Hannah 1+1, Guilcher 1+0, Renton 0+1
NETMINDING - Paisley: Russell 29 shots/2 goals; Dundee: Robb 35 shots/3 goals
PENALTIES - Paisley: Clark 27 minutes, McMillan 16, Monson 8, G. Nelson 6, C. Nelson 4.
Dundee: Hannah 4, Guilcher, Carstairs, Hislop, Gunn all 2