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Machine Lose Battle with Phantoms, 4-1

November 8, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Motor City Metal Jackets News Release


Wyandotte, Mich. - It was a tough battle for the entire game, but the Mahoning Valley Phantoms had too much firepower in the end for the Motor City Machine and, with the help of two third period goals, cruised to a 4-1 win in front of 876 fans at Yack Arena.

The Machine held tough with the Phantoms, one of the league's best teams, for nearly the first 38 minutes, as the team's battled with chances going each way, but goaltenders Zach Hansen and Jordan Tibbett held firm, allowing nothing past them.

Tibbett would come up with, to that point, the game's finest save when he stoned Motor City's Ryan Misiak on a point-blank attempt early in the period.

But much to the disappointment of the large crowd at Yack, it was Mahoning Valley that would strike first, as George Saad would break the deadlock at 17:53 with his second goal of the season. Kyle Verbeek and Nick Shkreli would pick up the assists on the goal.

Unsatisfied with just one goal, Mahoning Valley would quickly add another, as John Houston would score his first of the season, an unassisted tally, just 20 seconds later.

But off what was surely a great intermission speech by head coach Matt Rominiski, the Machine came into the third stanza on fire, as Nick Taurence would fire a hard snapshot from the top of the left circle that beat Tibbett to cut the lead in half, 2-1.

Misiak and Nate Taurence would assist on the goal, Nick's third of the season. The assist by Misiak upped his team-leading point total to 10.

Mahoning Valley, though, would rebound under three minutes later when Alex Lippincott scored his fifth goal of the season to increase the lead back to two, 3-1.

Lippincott would have a hand in the Phantoms' fourth goal, as he put the puck on the stick of captain Johnny Meo, who made no mistake about it, capping the scoring on the night with his second of the year.

Hansen made 32 saves for the Machine, as they dropped their 14th straight game. Tibbett made 21 saves and earned No. 2 Star honors for the Phantoms.

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 in which they 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. For more information, visit machinehockey.com or call (734) 642-0544.

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.

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