Thompson Leads Traverse City To 4-2 Win

Published on January 31, 2010 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release


TRAVERSE CITY - Consistency, thy name is Garrett Thompson.

Thompson (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars), who has points in 11 of his last 14 contests - with 11 goals and 19 points over that same stretch - did it again for the Traverse City North Stars on Sunday afternoon at Centre ICE arena, scoring twice in a 4-2 win over Motor City.

The 6-4 winger scored with 1:51 left in the opening period, sending the host Stars into the first intermission with a 2-1 lead, then banged home his second of the night a scant 40 ticks into the middle frame. The markers were his 15th and 16th of the season, he recorded his fourth game-winner, and he's now tied for third in the NAHL with a +23 plus-minus rating.

Bo Jacobs (Twin Lake, MI/TC North Stars), who is also tied for third at +23, levied his first goal of the year 12:59 into the first stanza to knot the affair, while Eric McLintock (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars) put a cherry on top with the only score of the third period, turning his 14th goal of the 2009-10 campaign into an insurance policy.

Nick Shkreli (Romeo, MI/Mahoning Valley NAHL) and Tim Opie (Troy, MI/ TC North Stars) teamed up with assists on Jacobs' and McLintock's lamplighters, while leading scorer Doug Clifford (Woodhaven, MI/ Mahoning Valley NAHL) set up both of Thompson's scores. Chris Heineman (New Boston, MI/TC North Stars) was credited with a helper on Thompson's initial twinery, and Dan Radke (Orinda, CA/TC North Stars/Lake Superior St.) drew his team-best 23rd assist on the second.

Chris Paliafito (Shelbyville, KY/Owatonna NAHL) stopped 19 of 21 shots, improved to 3-0-1 in his last four starts, and whittled his goals-against average to 2.72 since his arrival in mid-December.

The Stars improved to 25-12-3, and regained a five-point cushion in the NAHL North Division standings over second-place Marquette. The Rangers, who host Traverse City on Thursday, split a weekend series at Janesville. Motor City fell to 16-16-6 and remains in the fourth and final playoff slot in the division, 13 points ahead of last-place Alpena.

After the Stars visit Marquette on Thursday and Alpena next Tuesday, they'll take on Motor City again for a two-game Valentine's weekend series at Yack Arena on Feb. 12-13.

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 31, 2010


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