Stars Claim OT Thriller
November 2, 2008 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release
TRAVERSE CITY - If the Traverse City North Stars were hoping to measure themselves against one of the NAHL's perennial top programs this weekend at Centre ICE arena, they have to be somewhat pleased with the results.
Kyle Jean broke free in the Mahoning Valley zone, broke to his right, and brought the puck back to his forehand before twining the game- cincher from below the slot with 1:52 left in overtime on Sunday, giving the North Stars a 5-4 victory and two-of-three against the Phantoms on the weekend.
The Stars raced to a 2-0 lead after one period, and sported a 4-1 advantage at the second intermission before the visiting Phantoms rattled off a trio of goals to force the extra frame, the game-tying marker coming with just 15 seconds left in regulation.
Jean (Sault Ste. Marie, MI/TC North Stars/Lake Superior State), who also recorded the game-winning tally in Friday's series lid-lifter, now has five points in his last five outings.
Nate Urbaniak (Perrysburg, OH/TC North Stars) got things going at 10:37 of the first period, followed by a Chris Salomone (Homer Glen, IL/Chicago Young Americans AAA) breakaway effort. After Mahoning netted a power play marker, Kyle Bonis (Lindsay, ONT/TC North Stars) and Eric O'Hearn (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars) collected even- strength goals to push the Stars' edge to three.
Brandon Stephenson (Saline, MI/TC North Stars) was sterling in net for Traverse City, stopping 31 of 35 goals to win his fifth consecutive start.
Traverse City is now 13-3-0 and seven points clear of second-place Team USA in the NAHL North Division. Mahoning falls to 8-3-2 and is eight back of TC.
The North Stars have next weekend off before traveling to Marquette on Nov. 14-15.
North American Hockey League Stories from November 2, 2008
- Stars Claim OT Thriller - Traverse City North Stars
- Late Rally Secures Phantoms a Three-Game Split - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
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