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Special Teams Kill Machine as Phantoms Take It, 4-2

September 6, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Motor City Metal Jackets News Release


Brownstown, Mich. - There were broken fingers, hand and noses Saturday evening as the Motor City Machine welcomed its newest rival to the Ice Box, the Mahoning Valley Phantoms

The opening faceoff was won by the Phantoms and controlled to set the first 30 seconds of play. The Machine's first line had a good, hard-hitting as they fought to keep the puck and tempo in. Both teams skated hard early and often as they exchanged blows and 'bows. The first penalty was assessed to Phil Webb of the Machine for interference just under three minutes into the opening stanza. Some nice work on the defensive end created a few shorthanded options for the Machine. Zach Hansen (Dexter, Mich.) came up with some nice boot saves early to fight off the Phantoms, ending the first power-play chance. Jared Williams made a nice move to free up a nice scoring opportunity, climbing toward the halfway point of the first period with zeros on the board.

Jake Friedman (Orchard Lake, Mich.) was whistled for slashing at the 14-minute mark, putting the Machine shorthanded yet again. The Phantoms worked the puck in for a solid minute but came away empty until Brian McGinty (Bethel Park, PA) found an open seam, giving the Phantoms an early edge, 1-0.

While skating out of position, the Machine found themselves confused while trying to create a buzz in the offensive zone. Phantoms goaltender Garrett Bartus (St. Charles, Ill.) came up huge on his end saving his way. Some miscommunications cost the Machine a few odd man trips into the Phantoms zone.

Robert Harrison (Lakeville, Mich.) was whistled for hooking with less than five minutes to play in the first. Turnover city gave the Phantoms another special teams goal, making it 2-0, Mahoning Valley.

Brutus made a nice save to close out the Machine's first power-play, keeping the door closed at 2-0. Bright spots shined for the first 20 minutes, but a few clouds rolled by to kill the chances, leaving a 2-0 hole to crawl out of.

The second period began with a solid shift, but Kevin Bechard was called for holding just two minutes in. The Machine, however, buzzed on the penalty kill, creating a few chances while Hansen cleared his way on the other end. The Machine provided the kill they needed to keep it close.

A tough break gave the Phantoms a 3-0 lead, as Nick Kenney (Wixom, Mich.) buried one through an empty net. Machine goalie Zach Hansen was caught in no man's land, giving Mahoning a 3-0 lead with under 15 minutes to play in the second.

Brutus continued to punish the Machine with save after save, all while holding them scoreless through half the game as he gave way to Jordan Tibbett (Indianapolis).

Another Phantom penalty, this time on Kenney for slashing, gave the Machine their second man advantage. A struggle to gain more than a few chances was all she wrote as the Machine moved to 0-for-2 on the power play.

Tibbett was then caught with only one eye open as Anthony Olson closed the other, making 3-1 Phantoms with under seven minutes to play in the second. Joe Rodgers (Holly, Mich.) entered as goalie to replace Zach Hansen.

A checking from behind call on Mike Miller (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) of the Phantoms gave him the extra long jury duty, as he was assessed with a 10-minute misconduct. Shortly after, Webb was slammed for hooking, setting up a 4-on-4 at the 5:00 mark of the second. Tibbett came through with a few good saves, keeping the Machine at a distance.

Both teams used great defensive presences to fight off each other's power-plays until Nick Taurence (Trenton, Mich.) of the Machine was picked for interference. Rodgers played tall and tenacious after relieving Hansen in his first appearance in the North American Hockey League. The second came to an end with the Machine getting the only goal from Olson bringing it to 3-1 Phantoms.

Adam Kuhn and company were welcomed with some hard hitting action to begin the third period from Brownstown. Rodgers once again proved why he belonged on the ice, making the saves the team needed. A slashing call on Harrison of the Phantoms gave the Machine room to breathe with under 16 minutes left in the third, but a five holed shorthanded goal that just trickled through pushed the Machine even further from the lead, 4-1.

Who's got the action? Andrew Bechard locked fisticuffs with Nick Kenney until Kenney went down via the haymaker. Both would exit for five for fighting with plenty of time on the clock.

The Machine tripped into the final 10 minutes of regulation courtesy of Trevor John on a tough call. A nice break up the left wing gave Friedman of the Machine a hard shot to the glove side of Tibbett. Just as a penalty started for the Machine, Tibbett was caught looking again and the Machine struck on the power play from Jake Friedman (Orchard Lake, Mich.) making it two goal deficit 4-2.

Bennett Schneider from the Machine and Nate Baubick (Avon Lake, Ohio) from the Phantoms were tossed for a quarrel that broke out in the Phantoms zone late in the period. All in all, both players will be missing a game on top of it. Penalties on both side wedged out the remaining few minutes with nobody scoring and everybody hitting.

The Motor City Machine are 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 Ice Box Sports Center in Brownstown, Mich. All games are broadcast on machinehockey.com and video broadcast through B/2 Network.



North American Hockey League Stories from September 6, 2008


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