Stars rock Alaska, 6-1
September 22, 2007 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release
BLAINE, Minn. - When it rains, it pours.
On Thursday, the Traverse City North Stars could not find the back of the net, enduring a 62-minute defensive struggle and 1-0 overtime setback against North Iowa. On Friday, the goals came in bunches - the first three in a span of 1:01 late in the first period - en route to a 6-1 triumph over Alaska on the third day of action at the North American Hockey League Showcase in suburban Minneapolis.
The line of Joe Greener, Matt Hughes and Harrison Niemann powered the offensive surge, while a pair of Stars - Jarrod LaBelle and Phil Wendecker - enjoyed their first junior goals.
"We talked about going to the net harder and more often than we have been," explained Stars head coach/GM Anthony Palumbo. "And the guys really responded to that tonight."
LaBelle got Traverse City (2-0-1) on the board 12:14 into the first period, followed by a Hughes tally 38 seconds later, and Wendecker's lamplighter 23 seconds after that. Jonathan Sheridan and Clinton Bourbonais drew assists on LaBelle's power play effort, Green and Tyler Stephens set up the Hughes marker, and Wendecker's from-the- point blast was unassisted.
After Jeremiah Dargis gave the Avalanche a brief ray of hope at 9:39 of the second stanza on a one-timer from point-blank range, TC responded with a pair of even-strength scores that put the game out of reach. After Nate Urbaniak set up a Greener goal on a give-and-go play at 15:28, Greener assumed the set-up man role for Niemann, as the pair converted a 2-on-1 break with 1:11 to play before the second intermission. Jameson Raymond and Hughes, respectively, were credited with secondary assists on the rejoinders - and both drew helpers on Niemann's third period game-capper (3:02).
"We got great puck support tonight - we didn't get outnumbered," said Greener, who was on the ice for five of the team's six goals. "If we can do that night in and night out, we're going to be very successful."
Miles Williams was brilliant in net for the North Stars, earning his second victory in as many tries while steering aside all but one of the 20 shots he saw. The Stars defensive corps put the lock-down on the Avs' offense, permitting just a pair of first period shots on net, six in the final stanza, and just a handful of legit scoring chances.
"We have really improved defensively," Greener noted. "A lot of the credit for that has to go to (associate head coach Mike) Matteucci. He knows the defensive game, and demands a lot from us in that end of the ice."
The Stars will face off against Alexandria (Mn.) on Saturday in the 18-team event's final contest (6:45 p.m. CT/7:45 p.m. ET). The Blizzard fell to 0-3-0 following a 6-3 loss to Wichita Falls on Friday, but were among the top Central Division clubs last season.
"That's the thing about this league: You don't get to take a night off," Palumbo added. "A nice win one night can become a tough loss the next, and vice-versa. And at an event like this, you have to put a win or a loss behind you pretty quick."
North American Hockey League Stories from September 22, 2007
- Blizzard Defeat Stars on 17th Shootout Attempt - Alexandria Blizzard
- Maginnis Stops 37 as Outlaws Fall to Alpena - North Iowa Outlaws
- U.S. Nat'l U-18 Team Tops Southern Minn., 2-1, in OT - U.S. National Team
- Stars rock Alaska, 6-1 - Traverse City North Stars
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