Stars caught in 6-3 jetwash
October 17, 2009 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release
TRAVERSE CITY - The Traverse City North Stars have battled back from big deficits upon numerous occasions so far this season, but the Janesville Jets put the host Stars at a disadvantage they couldn't clamber out of on Saturday night at Centre ICE arena, skating to a 6-3 triumph in the finale of a two-game weekend series.
The North Stars (8-4-1) had first period leads of 1-0 and 2-1 after goals from Andy Huff (Howell, MI/Honeybaked U18) and Doug Clifford (Woodhaven, MI/Mahoning Valley NAHL) - with the latter bulge dissolved in a mere seven seconds - before the Jets rattled off a quartet of successive markers. Dan Radke (Orinda, CA/TC North Stars/ Lake Superior State) gave Traverse City a ray of hope just 15 seconds into the third period, but Zack Smoot converted his first career hat trick with :53.8 to play to make it a three-goal disparity at the final horn.
"We pretty much got exactly what we deserved tonight," lamented Stars head coach/GM Anthony Palumbo. "All year, we've dug ourselves a hole and climbed out of it. So I guess I wasn't exactly going out on a limb when I cautioned the guys before the game that one of these days we were going to dig a hole we could get out of - and that's exactly what happened."
Tyler Marble (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars/Lake Superior State) started, but gave way to Drew Strandberg (Thunder Bay, ONT/Thunder Bay SIJHL), who stopped all seven shots he faced. The contest featured a combined 86 penalty minutes, 44 of which came during a contentious third period. That frame included a pair of donnybrooks, pitting Bo Jacobs (Twin Lake, MI/TC North Stars) against Jordan Bancroft and Clifford versus Wes Hawkins. Jacobs landed a spectacular blow that bloodied Bancroft, leaving a trail of crimson from the spot of the fracas to the visitors' penalty box. The game was delayed briefly to clear the fluids.
Radke, Eric McLintock (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars), and Garrett Thompson (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars) had an assist apiece. Huff potted his 11th of the season, tops among all NAHL skaters.
The Stars now trail first-place Marquette - who swept a weekend series at Alpena - by three points heading into next weekend's showdown with the Rangers. The clubs square off on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Centre ICE arena, followed by a 1 p.m. matinee finale on Sunday.
"We're playing the best defensive team in the league, and right now we're among the worst defensive teams in the league," Palumbo added. "It's not just the defensemen, it's a total team effort, and a lot of hard work, to be a good defensive team. That will be an area of emphasis going forward, to say the least."
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North American Hockey League Stories from October 17, 2009
- Bobcats Hold Off Outlaws 3-2 - Bismarck Bobcats
- Stars caught in 6-3 jetwash - Traverse City North Stars
- Marquette beats Alpena 2 -1, holds on to first place - Marquette Rangers
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