Dundee Stars’ two-game winning streak was halted as slick Sheffield Steelers cut down the home side 4-0 in ice hockey’s Elite League.
Sheffield’s new coach Gerad Adams, who took over from sacked playcaller Doug Christiansen, believes Stars’ leader Jeff Hutchins should be in the running for the Elite League coach of the year, but that did not stop the former Edinburgh star plotting their downfall last night.
Dundee’s 18th regulation defeat means they stay fourth with 53 points from 46 games, a point ahead of Braehead Clan who have also iced in 46 games and visit Tayside on Sunday (face-off 6.30pm) in a key Gardiner Conference clash.
Hutchins now has work to do to lift his injury-hit side ahead of Saturday’s trip to sixth-placed Coventry Blaze and their home clash with Clan.
Hopefully, American hit-man Nico Sacchetti, the clubs top points gatherer, will make the line-up after sitting out.
But import stars Mike Wirll and Rory Rawlyk are long-term absentees and that is why Hutchins drafted in Dundee-born, 19-year-old defenceman Robbie Hill, a product of Dundee Comets, to bring his skaters to 14.
Once again, dogged Dundee took some time to break down, centre Tim Spencer slotting home after 28 minutes after being set up by Maxime Lacroix and Jonathan Phillips.
Two goals in six minutes either side of the second break finished off the Scots.
Robert Dowd provided the finishing touch for the first with Stefan Meyer and Gord Baldwin involved in the build-up.
Meyer claimed Sheffield’s third three minutes into the final session with Dowd and Nate diCasmirro assisting.
And Dowd turned from playmaker to marksman 13 minutes later to claim the fourth. The assists came from Dustin Kohn and Chad Langlais.
The Yorkshire side outshot Stars 47-14 and march on, leaving Dundee to pick up the pieces ahead of the weekend double-header.