Jean scores twice in 5-4 TC win
October 9, 2009 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release
WYANDONTTE, Mich. -It took Kyle Jean about 4:33 to make an impact in his season debut for the Traverse City North Stars.
The team's leading returning scorer, out of the lineup since suffering an upper-body injury late last season, racked a pair of goals and assisted on another as the North Stars took out NAHL North Division rival Motor City by a 5-4 count at Yack Arena in metro Detroit.
Jean (Sault Ste. Marie, MI/TC North Stars/Lake Superior State) got things rolling for the visitors, opening the series with an even- strength marker set up by Trevor Campbell (Kansas City, MO/Lansing Capitals U18). After the host Metal Jackets evened things up with two seconds to play before the first intermission, Eric McLintock (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars) cleaned up a loose puck in the crease with a backhanded power play tally 8:34 into the middle frame.
The Jackets bounced back with the next two goals less than two minutes apart to assume a short-lived 3-2 lead, but Tim Opie (Troy, MI/TC North Stars) knotted it again with 37 seconds left in the second on a pretty two-on-one break with Josh Miller (Trenton, MI/TC North Stars). Jean ambled into the Motor City zone in the waning seconds of the period, and his wrister from the left face-off circle handcuffed Motor City netkeep Randy Willis with five ticks remaining before the second intermission.
Andy Huff (Howell, MI/TC North Stars) potted his team-leading seventh of the year just 3:56 into the final stanza with TC on the power play - for what eventually became the game-winning goal. The teams went 'old-time hockey' a few minutes later, with four separate fights breaking out at 7:33 of the period. Of the skirmishes, Garrett Thompson (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars) scored the most decisive victory, landing a thundering overhand right to floor Mike Bourgon before issuing a series of five straight rights bludgeoned the Jackets' winger.
Tyler Marble (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars) won his second start of the season, stopping a career-high 36 shots that included 14 in the final period. Stars captain Travis White (Sterling Heights, MI/TC North Stars) dished out a pair of assists, while Chris Salomone (Homer Glen, IL/TC North Stars) and Nilan Nagy (Canonsburg, PA/ Pittsburgh Predators U18) had one each.
Traverse City (7-3) will close out the Downriver weekend series on Saturday night at Yack Arena, facing off against the Metal Jackets (3-2-3) at 7:30 p.m.
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