Stars dump USA-18s in OT
January 12, 2007 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release
ANN ARBOR - Somebody had to do it, and it might as well have been the Traverse City North Stars.
After steamrolling through the North American Hockey League for nearly two years, the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-18 squad finally found itself on the short end of the scoreboard, but not without some clutch heroics from the visiting club.
Those valiant Stars included defenseman Nick Von Bokern, whose from- the-face-off marker with 1.8 seconds left in regulation forced the extra frame, and Sabastion Kimmel, who converted a power play chance with 1:29 remaining in the overtime for a 4-3 Traverse City victory at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube. The USNDTP's Under-18 squad had won all nine of its NAHL outings in 2006-07 coming into Friday's showdown, and as the U-17s had ousted TC from the playoffs in a five-game classic last April.
"When you are given the opportunity, you have to take it," said Kimmel, who has seven points in his past five outings. "The team stuck with it and played well tonight, we capitalized on some power play chances, and (Stefan) Shively was awesome in net."
Shively's busy night - 36 saves on 39 shots - almost ended in the 'L' column, as the USA-18s held a 3-1 lead late into the third period, but Harrison Niemann cut the hosts' lead to 3-2 with 2:21 left in the third, and Von Bokern seemingly defied the laws of physics to knot the affair.
"Nick's got a big lefty shot, so we put him in there for the face- off with Ben (Plocar) behind him like he was going to take the draw from Nick," Stars coach Scott Gardiner explained. "But Nick just got it as clean as anyone I've ever seen try it. I'm not sure it even hit the ice before it hit the back of the net. It was huge."
The North Stars (13-20-5) and USA-18s square off again on Saturday at the Ice Cube, with a 7 p.m. face-off.
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North American Hockey League Stories from January 12, 2007
- IceDiggers to tussle with Phantoms - Alpena IceDiggers
- U.S. National Under-18 Falls to Traverse City in Overtime, 4-3 - U.S. National Team
- Stars dump USA-18s in OT - Traverse City North Stars
- U.S. National Under-17 Team Tops Marquette in Overtime, 2-1 - U.S. National Team
- Bobcats hit road Friday, home Saturday - Bismarck Bobcats
- Phantoms look to build another streak - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- Tornado game day update - Texas Tornado
- Rangers taking direction - Marquette Rangers
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