
Stars double up USA, 6-3
September 17, 2009 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release
BLAINE, Mn. - One night after grinding out a defensive shutout victory, the Traverse City North Stars lit up the scoreboard early and often on Thursday in a 6-3 conquest of the Team USA U-17s on the second day of the four-game North American Hockey League Showcase at the Schwan Super Rink in suburban Minneapolis.
Andy Huff (Howell, MI/Honeybaked AAA) scored his third and fourth goals on the young season, while Dan Radke (Orinda, CA/TC North Stars/ LSSU) provided a goal and two assists to lead the offensive conflagration. Radke's game-opening salvo - an unassisted, shorthanded effort a mere 1:55 into the affair - ignited a run of six goals in the first 11:07, including four by the Stars.
"We came out with a lot of effort, and generated some offense right away," said Stars head coach/GM Anthony Palumbo. "They're (USA) a good team, and we may have caught them really early in the season. We've been playing hockey for 2½ weeks, and this is just their second game, but I can't take anything away from our guys' effort tonight. What was nice is that we had more than one good line tonight - everyone played well - and when you have all your guys going, you're going to be successful more often than not."
After Eric McLintock (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars) made it 2-0 at 6:18 of the first period, the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-17 squad evened the contest with a pair of rapid- fire markers in a span of just over a minute - both deflecting off Stars' defenders. Huff put TC up for good at 10:27, followed by a Tim Opie (Troy, MI/TC North Stars) score 40 tocks later.
Huff (:53 in) and Chris Salomone (Homer Glen, IL/TC North Stars) made it a 6-2 margin in the second before USA issued its last gasp. Drew Strandberg (Thunder Bay, ONT/Thunder Bay SIJHL) won his second straight start for Traverse City, collecting 16 of 19 shots.
"It was just a really solid game we played tonight," Palumbo added. "I was happy with every single guy that played. And we'll have to have that same kind of effort tomorrow (Friday) against Springfield, because we've had a chance to see them here and they have a very good team as well."
Six different North Stars had an assist apiece on Thursday: Curtis Heinz, Travis White, Cody Walsh, Garrett Thompson, Eric Rivard, and Kelin Ainsworth.
The North Stars square off against the Springfield (Ill.) Jr. Blues on Friday at 1:45 p.m. Eastern before wrapping the Showcase slate with Bismarck on Saturday at 10:45 a.m. Eastern.
North American Hockey League Stories from September 17, 2009
- Stars double up USA, 6-3 - Traverse City North Stars
- Bobcats Drop Second straight Overtime Decision - Bismarck Bobcats
- Rangers Fall to Wild - Marquette Rangers
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.
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