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Bandits survive Stars

January 18, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release


BOARDMAN, Oh. - The Traverse City North Stars took the defending North American Hockey League champions to the brink, but couldn't close the deal on Friday in the opening round of the Phantoms Hockey Showcase in suburban Youngstown, dropping a 3-2 decision to St. Louis.

The one-goal defeat was the fifth straight slim-margin setback for Traverse City, and 11th one-goal loss of the 2007-08 campaign.

"We're cursed, I guess," offered North Stars head coach/GM Anthony Palumbo. "We played a good game tonight - we've been playing our best hockey lately - and just can't get that clutch game-tying goal, can't get that bounce, that break. Even though it counts as a loss, I can't be very unhappy about how we played tonight. We went hard, executed well, and came up a goal short."

The Bandits, now an NAHL-best 29-6-1, opened the first period on Friday with a pair of goals in the first 10:36 before Kory Kauntiso (Sault Ste. Marie, MI/Waterloo USHL) got Traverse City on the board with a power play tally at 11:02. The teams played watertight defense for the entirety of the second period and most of the third until St. Louis opened another two-goal bulge with 5:31 to play. Once again, the Stars answered quickly, as Alex Breeden (Ft. Collins, CO/North Iowa NAHL) made it 3-2 at 16:43, but TC could not find an equalizer down the stretch.

"St. Louis is every bit as good as advertised," Palumbo said. "They're as good as any team we've played. But again, I think we played with them all night long, and have nothing to hang our heads about."

Nate Urbaniak (Perrysburg, Oh./Toledo Jr B CSHL) and Clinton Bourbonais (Whitmore Lake, MI/Orchard Lake St. Mary's Prep) assisted on Kauntiso's third goal of the year - and second in his last three outings - while Joe Greener (Camberley, ENG/Cleveland NAHL) and Harrison Niemann (Canton, MI/Omaha USHL) set up Breeden's marker. It was Breeden's first goal in 62 games since coming to Traverse City, and second career junior marker.

The Bandits outshot the North Stars by a 29-23 count, as Brandon Stephenson (Saline, MI/Victory Honda AAA) stopped 26 shots for TC, and Cal Heeter made 21 saves for St. Louis.

The Phantoms Hockey Showcase continues through Monday, with the Stars (11-15-8) taking on host Mahoning Valley in Saturday's second round of action. Traverse City will square off with the Phantoms at 7:30 p.m. Catch the webcast on the B2 Network by linking up at traversecitynorthstars.com.

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