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Bridgetown brooming: Stars complete sweep

February 19, 2011 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release


PORT HURON - Alec Shields cranked out a natural hat trick on Saturday evening in Port Huron, powering the Traverse City North Stars to a 5-1 triumph at McMorran Arena, and weekend sweep of the host Fighting Falcons.

Shields (Pittsburgh, PA/TC North Stars/Mercyhurst College) closed the second period with a power play effort, than opened the final frame with tallies at 2:03 and 4:57, recording his first career junior hat trick. Stars goalkeep Tyler Marble (Howell, MI/TC North Stars/Lake Superior St.) came within three minutes of his fourth shutout of the season, stopping 27 shots to win his 22nd outing of 2010-11 - two short of a team record.

"I can't sit here and say we played a great game tonight, but we went on the road and got a win," said Traverse City head coach/GM Anthony Palumbo. "We got great goaltending again, Alec Shields had a big night, and we found a way to win. It's supposed to be the mark of a good team is that they can win when they don't have their ‘A' game."

Kelin Ainsworth (Thunder Bay, ONT/TC North Stars/Lake Superior St.) and Jared Van Wormer (Traverse City, MI/TC Central HS) scored goals on either side of the Shields trifecta before Port Huron spoiled the clean sheet with an even-strength marker in the waning minutes. Curtis Heinz (Grand Rapids, MI/TC North Stars) and Sean Murphy (Cary, NC/Austin NAHL) dished out two assists each, while Shields, Zack Dorer (Holt, MI/Lansing Capitals U18/Ferris State) and Alexander Taulien (Crystal Lake, IL/Lansing Capitals U18) had one apiece.

Despite the weekend sweep, the Stars (28-14-1) find themselves in a three-way dogfight for the final two playoff positions in the NAHL North Division. With Janesville's victory over Michigan, the Stars, Warriors and Motor City Metal Jackets are deadlocked in third with 57 points each, six points behind second-place Janesville. In the biggest game of the season to date, the North Stars travel to Flint to take on the Warriors this Wednesday.

"We're in a battle, and we have a lot of dates left with Michigan and Motor City - the teams we're battling with," Palumbo pointed out. "So we'll have the opportunity to play our way up the standings, but we'll have to be better than we were tonight."

The North Stars return to Centre ICE Arena next weekend for a two-game series with the Metal Jackets beginning on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. and wrapping Sunday (Feb. 27) afternoon at 1 p.m.



North American Hockey League Stories from February 19, 2011


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