Challenge Cup | Dundee Stars 5 Glasgow Clan 3

The Premier Sports sponsored Glasgow Clan were defeated by the Dundee Stars in a back-and-forth Challenge Cup road game.

Cade Neilson opened the scoring for Glasgow after just 80 seconds after a nice trade of possession with Cole Kodsi set him up to rifle a shot into the top corner from close-range.

Carl Stankowski shook off the early set back though and powered through the remainder of the first period with a number of great saves, including a stretch stop on Deven Sideroff before denying Tristin Langan at point-blank range.

In the second period, Stankowski continued to impress with a quick slide across his line to keep out a first-time slapshot from Matt Spencer.

Dundee levelled the score shortly after as the puck bounced off of the referee’s skate behind the Clan net and bobbled out in front to Jonathan McBean, who’s shot was saved by Liam Souliere, but Matt DeBoer was there to sweep home the rebound.

Julius Reini got a smart redirect on a Spencer shot later in the period to put Glasgow back in front, before Mick Messner got his first goal of the season with a backdoor tap-in after a great feed from Langan.

Rasmus Nousianen thought he had scored Dundee’s second when he tried to stuff a wraparound over the line, but Souliere got his pad down to keep him out in enough time.

Nousiainen got his retribution in the third period though as he buried a rebound to put the Stars back to within one, before club captain Travis Ewanyk bagged an equaliser just 48 seconds later to tie the game at three.

Nousiainen then got a second with six minutes left in the game as he charged forward on a breakaway on the powerplay and slipped a tidy backhand goal into the top shelf to put Dundee ahead for the first time.

The Finn’s hattrick was completed by an empty net goal as Dundee broke out to a 5-3 lead, sealing their first competitive win of the season, while Glasgow will have to regroup ahead of their Challenge Cup game at Braehead against the Belfast Giants tomorrow.