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Motor City Shut Out by Alpena, 1-0

November 30, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Motor City Metal Jackets News Release


Youngstown, Ohio. - Nate Taurence (Trenton, Mich.) bagged his first goal of season in the losing effort as Motor City loses its third straight before a crowd of 500.

It was quick start for Alpena as they skated up and down the ice making some early noise on Machine goaltender Matt Green but couldn't find an open seam. Green returns to MCM after playing a few games for Little Caesars and looked like he never missed a beat.

The Machine and Ice Diggers looked a bit sluggish in the first period as they both took lazy penalties. Motor City would finish with seven shots while Alpena scattered eight on Green. Nobody would get the puck past either net minder as the first period ended in a scoreless tie.

The second started with Ali Dakroub taking a seat for a cross-checking penalty, putting Motor City down a man. Though Alpena moved the puck well they weren't able to solve Green.

Motor City would find openings only for one shot as Nick Graves controlled his rebounds perfectly.

Nate and Nick Taurence would be rejoined together in the penalty box half way through the period as Motor City went short-handed as Alpena worked a 5-on-3 for over a minute. It would take an entire team effort to kill off the Ice Diggers, but Green made sure nobody was scoring as long as he was in net.

Alpena would send a late rush back the other way but Green was there to slam the door closed on Bobby Ward, and finished the period with 12 saves. Motor City struggled greatly to create shots on net as Graves flashed just three saves and a game total of just 10.

It was another case of limited opportunities in their end for Motor City as they worked the puck in and out quickly. Green continued to impress his team as they worked to rally around him.

A scramble in the corner half way through the third lit a fire for both sides as newly added James McNulty fed Alexander Kuqali while Kurtis Anton worked Erik Peterson. Motor City would go short-handed but they weren't hurt as Alpena couldn't score.

The Machine would push the puck on Graves but he came up time and time again making it very frustrating.

Sam Cheraso would wrist shot a goal from the neutral zone with less than 4:00 to play to break a scoreless tie. Alpena would then go down a man as Ryan Sell was whistled for cross-checking and the Machine would pull Green for the 6-on-4 attack to salvage a last effort chance at a goal but it wasn't enough.

Motor City would fall 1-0 to Graves and the Ice Diggers as they were shut out for the second time this season.

Cheraso got the game's only goal and it proved to be the winner late in the third while Green turned aside 24 shots for his third loss as Machine.

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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North American Hockey League Stories from November 30, 2008


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