Sports stats



North Stars Bounce Back with 4-2 Win

December 11, 2011 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release


KALAMAZOO - The Traverse City North Stars scored a pair of goals in the first 2:39 of action on Sunday at Wings West Borgess, then answered both of the host Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings' scores the rest of the way, closing out a 4-2 victory with an empty-netter as time expired.

The North Stars improved to 14-6-4, and pulled to within three points of the second-place Wings and eight points of NAHL North Division-leading Port Huron. Traverse City has played five fewer games than Kalamazoo and eight less than the Falcons.

On Sunday afternoon, the visitors took advantage of an early power play opportunity, as Mitchell Snider (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars NAHL) opened the scoring 1:58 in. Seth Adams (Big Rapids, MI/Big Rapids HS/Ferris State) made it 2-0 just 41 seconds later as TC fired 15 shots on net through the first 20 minutes of play.

The K-Wings bagged an early-period goal of their own 52 seconds into the middle frame on a goal by former North Stars Taylor Burden, but Alexander Taulien (Crystal Lake, IL/TC North Stars NAHL) restored the two-goal cushion at 4:53 on assists from Adams and Chris Waterstreet (Northville, MI/TC North Stars NAHL). K-zoo would once again pare its deficit to a single goal, but the North Stars were able to fend off the hosts down the stretch - to the tune of just five third-period shots - and an unassisted empty-net goal by Will Badner (Cadillac, MI/Motor City NAHL) was ruled to have crossed the goal line before the clock had expired, making it a two-goal triumph for Traverse City, which was coming off a 4-1 loss at home to Michigan on Friday.

Kyle Laslo (Fenton, MI/Osoyoos KIJHL) won his 14th game of the year in net, making 31 saves along the way. Stars captain Jared Van Wormer (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars NAHL) had a pair of first period assists, while Chris Leibinger (Saginaw, MI/TC North Stars NAHL/Michigan Tech) and Kyle Loridon (Howell, MI/Lansing Capitals U18) had one each.

The Stars will travel to Flint to face the Michigan Warriors next Saturday before breaking for the Christmas holiday. After eight straight road games, the club will return to Centre ICE on Jan. 17 for a rematch with Kalamazoo.

• Discuss this story on the North American Hockey League message board...

North American Hockey League Stories from December 11, 2011


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 Traverse City North Stars Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central