Sports stats

Bussell Bags Hat Trick and Game Winner and Wrinkle TC

December 22, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Motor City Metal Jackets News Release


Wyandotte, Mich - Josh Bussell and Adam Sponseller combined for four goals and three assists to lead the Motor City Machine to an upset 6-4 win over Traverse City on Sunday evening at Yack Arena.

Bussell scored three goals, two in the first period on the power play, while Sponseller scored the Machine's first goal and picked up the primary assist on Bussell's second and third tallies.

"We've talked about playing 60 minutes the last three weeks and we finally put 60 minutes together as a team," Machine head coach Sean Clark said.

It was a wild first period, as the teams combined to score six goals and go into the intermission tied 3-3.

Traverse City jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first 14 minutes, but the Machine, on the strength of Bussell's first two goals, tied the game heading into the break.

"The coaches got on me this weekend about skating and shooting the puck," said Bussell, who recorded six shots on the evening. "I came out with a different mentality today and all I wanted to do was get the puck on the net and it paid off for me."

Said Clark: "He was the fasted player on the ice all night. It felt good to see (his hat trick)."

The North Stars took a 4-3 lead just over two minutes into the second period on a goal by Eric McLintock, his second of the game, but once again, Motor City hopped right back into it, this time on a goal by Ryan Misiak, his sixth of the season. The scored stayed that way heading into the second intermission.

In the third period, it was Traverse City getting on the board first. Instead, it was Bussell, who saved his best for last.

Sponseller came in and ripped a shot that was stopped by North Stars goaltender Brandon Stephenson, but the rebound was falling through the air in the crease area and was batted out of the air and into the goal by Bussell, giving the Machine the go-ahead goal and a 5-4 lead.

"He was good tonight," Clark said of Sponseller, who has six points in his last four games. "He used his body effectively, got pucks to the net, got his body to the net and did well defensively. He was smart and that's what we expect of him night in and night out."

The remainder of the period was hard-fought, including Stephenson stopping Machine center Billy Balent on a penalty shot, but the Machine got the much sought-after insurance goal with 4:58 remaining as captain Marco Ruggeri was able to find the puck and put it behind Stephenson to give the Machine a 6-4 lead.

"We're a really hard-working team," Bussell said. "I knew that if we came out, gave 100 percent and played 60 minutes of hockey that we could beat this team and it showed. We played 60 minutes of complete hockey and this was a big win for us."

Matt Delaney made 32 saves for the Machine, including several key stops in both the second and third periods to keep the game close. Stephenson stopped 13 shots in relief for Traverse City after replacing CJ Motte, who stopped nine shots in the opening period.

"We dug down, ratcheted up as a team and got it done," Clark said.

The Machine go into holiday break on a high note, as the team does not play again until Jan. 9 at Mahoning Valley.

"It's a boost of confidence going into break and it's something to build on for the second half," Bussell said. The Motor City Machine is in their first season in Michigan as members of the North American Hockey League. The Motor City Machine are formerly the Southern MN Express, a team that made the playoffs three straight years and twice into the Robertson Cup finals. The NAHL is the nation's largest Junior A hockey league and is now in its 33rd year of operation.

Machine home games will be played at the Yack Arena in Wyandotte, Mich. All games are broadcast on machinehockey.com and video broadcast through B/2 Network.



North American Hockey League Stories from December 22, 2008


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Motor City Metal Jackets Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central