Sports stats



North Stars Open with 4-1 Win

September 12, 2010 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release


ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. - Ryan Amin scored early, late, and assisted in-between, helping the Traverse City North Stars to a season-opening 4-1 victory over Chicago on Sunday at West Meadows Ice Arena. Tyler Marble made 28 saves as Traverse City won on opening night for the fourth time in six years.

"We've got some work to do still, but I was very happy with how hard we competed," said TC head coach/GM Anthony Palumbo. "As the game went on, I thought we got a lot stronger."

Amin (Canton, MI/TC North Stars) opened the scoring at 4:03 with the first period's only goal, pickpocketing a Hitmen player and roofing a shorthanded marker to give the visitors a lead they would not relinquish. Alec Shields (Pittsburgh, PA/TC North Stars) made it a 2-0 game at 17:04 in the middle frame, redirecting a Travis White (Sterling Heights, MI/TC North Stars) blast with TC enjoying a 5-on-3 advantage.

Marble (Howell, MI/TC North Stars/Lake Superior St.) slammed the door on Chicago all evening, including a Louis Educate breakaway in the opening moments of the third.

"Realistically, if Tyler wasn't so strong in those first 15 minutes, we'd have had an uphill climb," Palumbo explained. "He was our game MVP tonight, and really gave us a chance to get going and get our legs under us."

Gabe Gervais finally solved Marble midway through the final stanza, converting a 2-on-1 rush, but Taylor Burden (Carmel, IN/TC North Stars) answered a scant 55 seconds later for the Stars, wristing the puck through the five-hole from the left face-off circle. Amin closed out the scoresheet with a long-range empty-netter to make it a three- goal differential. Traverse City peppered Chicago to the tune of a 47-29 shots-on-goal advantage.

Zack Dorer (Holt, MI/Lansing Capitals U18) assisted on Amin's first goal, Tim Opie (Troy, MI/TC North Stars) set up his second, and Trevor Campbell (Kansas City, MO/TC North Stars) fed Burden.

The North Stars hit the road again for this week's NAHL Showcase in suburban Minneapolis. Traverse City will face Corpus Christi on Wednesday, expansion Austin (Mn.) on Thursday, perennial power Wenatchee on Friday, and close out the 26-team, four-day event on Saturday against Alaska.

"There are still a lot of questions, as there are with every team this early in the year," Palumbo added. "But I think we have the makings of a team that can compete in this league and this division."

The club's home opener is slated for Friday, Oct. 15 against Springfield (Ill.) at Centre ICE Arena.

North Stars All-Time Opening Night Results

2010-11: Traverse City 4, Chicago 1

2009-10: Janesville 4, Traverse City 3

2008-09: Traverse City 3, St. Louis 2

2007-08: Traverse City 4, Bismarck 2

2006-07: Traverse City 5, Fargo-Moorhead 3

2005-06: Cleveland 4, Traverse City 2



North American Hockey League Stories from September 12, 2010


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