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Bad(ner) to the Bone: Winger Scores Four in 6-1 Win

April 1, 2012 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release


TRAVERSE CITY - Will Badner made sure the Traverse City North Stars closed out the regular season in style.

The Cadillac native tied a North Stars team record on Sunday afternoon at Centre ICE Arena with four goals, helping to turn a 1-0 second period deficit into a 6-1 victory over Jamestown in the final contest of the 2011-12 regular season.

Badner (Cadillac, MI/Motor City NAHL) opened the second period with a power play marker at 1:04, then completed the natural hat trick with the game-winner at 14:02 and his third tally with 1:55 remaining in the frame.

After Jared Van Wormer (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars NAHL) made it a 4-1 affair 1:52 into the third, Badner topped off his quartet less than two minutes later. Kyle Schempp (Saginaw, MI/Compuware U18/Ferris State) finished the scoring with 6:05 to go, converting a shorthanded opportunity and sealing the three-game sweep of the Ironmen.

The North Stars finished 34-20-6, four points behind second-place Kalamazoo in the NAHL North Division standings and five back of regular season champ Port Huron. The Stars and Jr. K-Wings will meet up in the best-of-five opening round of the Robertson Cup Playoffs that begin next weekend, while Port Huron will play host to fourth-place Michigan.

"There were some good things this weekend, but we're glad to have emerged reasonably healthy, with six more points, and a bit of momentum," said Traverse City head coach Chad Fournier. "Now, the focus is playoffs and getting ready to head down to Kalamazoo for the biggest games of the year."

Defensive partners Chris Leibinger (Saginaw, MI/TC North Stars NAHL) and Nathan Harris (Fowlerville, MI/Lansing Capitals U18) dished off a pair of assists each - setting up Badner's first and fourth goals - while Frank Gilbert (Traverse City, MI/TC West HS), Alexander Taulien (Crystal Lake, IL/TC North Stars NAHL), and Chris Waterstreet (Northville, MI/TC North Stars NAHL) contributed one apiece.

Stars goalsweep Zach Nagelvoort (Holland, MI/Kalamazoo NAHL) saw the first shot of the night go into the net, but closed up shop the rest of the way, making 19 saves to finish 8-5-1 since being acquired from Kalamazoo.

Traverse City will travel to Kalamazoo for a Friday evening opener and Saturday matinee next weekend before the series shift to Centre ICE Arena the following weekend, April 13-14. If a decisive fifth game is required, it will take place in K-Zoo on Monday, April 16.

NAHL NORTH DIVISION SEMIFINALS

(Best-of-5)

GAME 1: Friday, Apr. 6 at Kalamazoo - 7 p.m.

GAME 2: Saturday, Apr. 7 at Kalamazoo - 2 p.m.

GAME 3: Friday, Apr. 13 at Traverse City - 7 p.m.

GAME 4: Saturday, Apr. 14 at Traverse City - 7 p.m.*

GAME 5: Monday, Apr. 16 at Kalamazoo - 7 p.m.*

*if necessary

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