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Port Huron Overcomes North Stars in Shootout

November 19, 2011 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release


TRAVERSE CITY - The third period was not kind to the Traverse City North Stars on Friday evening at Centre ICE Arena. After the hosts built leads of 2-0 and 3-1 through 40 minutes of action, the Port Huron Fighting Falcons outshot the Stars 15-2 down the stretch, and scored a pair of late goals - including the equalizer with 17 seconds left in regulation - en route to a 4-3 shootout victory.

"It feels like we gave one away tonight," Stars head coach Chad Fournier lamented. "We didn't play well at all in the third (period), especially in our own end. We didn't play responsibly, and they came at us hard."

Sean Murphy (Cary, NC/Tri-City USHL) scored his fourth goal in as many games since re-joining the North Stars, registering the only marker of the first period with 1:06 to go. Eric Rivard (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars NAHL) and Chris Leibinger (Saginaw, MI/TC North Stars NAHL/Michigan Tech) set up Murphy's rooftop power play tally. Rivard made it 2-0 just six minutes into the second stanza after taking a pass from Eric Jones (Traverse City, MI/Lansing Capitals U18).

After Port Huron halved its deficit a little more than three minutes later, Kyle Schempp (Saginaw, MI/Compuware U18) restored TC's two-goal spread with 2:23 to play before the second intermission. Murphy assisted. Ian Miller bagged both of the Falcons' third period retorts, including the point-blank leveler in the waning seconds with the Port Huron net empty, and put a cherry on top with the clinching shootout lamplighter.

Zach Nagelvoort (Holland, MI/Kalamazoo NAHL) was pressed into early duty on Friday, when starting netminder Kyle Laslo (Fenton, MI/Osoyoos KIJHL) left with an undisclosed upper body injury two minutes into the contest. Nagelvoort made 29 saves, including 13 in the final period.

"We'll make a few tweaks and changes, hope everyone is healthy, and it's on to Saturday," Fournier added.

The North Stars (9-4-4) and first-place Fighting Falcons (15-8-2) will close out the series on Saturday evening at Centre ICE. Face-off is slated for 7:05 p.m.

There is also extensive Thanksgiving Weekend hockey on tap: The Stars will face Michigan in a Thanksgiving Eve affair on Nov. 23, and the annual 'North Stars Never Forget' contest on Black Friday, Nov. 25. The latter game will feature the North Stars sporting special U.S. Coast Guard-themed jerseys (for auction during the game along with a number of silent auction items), and fans are asked to help stuff stockings for Michigan National Guardsmen in Afghanistan through Operation American Soldier. Fans can bring small personal items, sundries, and non-perishables that will be packed and sent to the deployed troops.



North American Hockey League Stories from November 19, 2011


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