Stars rock Motown, regain North lead

Published on February 27, 2010 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release


TRAVERSE CITY - Garrett Thompson scored a pair of goals on Friday night at Centre ICE arena, as the Traverse City North Stars deep- sixed Motor City, snapping a four-game skid. The Stars laced a pair of three-goal bursts around a lone Metal Jackets goal in an oft- contentious affair, skating away with a 6-1 triumph in the first of a two-game weekend series.

After Traverse City surged to a 4-1 lead through the first 40 minutes, the teams combined for 102 penalty minutes over the final period, which included a fisticuff foursome, and a pair of game ejections. The North Stars (27-16-3) regained sole tenancy of the NAHL North Division penthouse with the win, pulling two points ahead of Marquette. The Rangers dropped a 5-0 decision at Alpena on Friday.

"Number one, we had lost four straight and we needed that," said TC head coach/GM Anthony Palumbo. "And number two, we got back to doing some simple things - doing less, making simple plays instead of trying to do too much. Just getting back to worrying about our own job, and making a play when it was there - simple."

Chris Salomone (Homer Glen, IL/TC North Stars) put the Stars ahead 5:02 into the game, and less than a minute later Nick Shkreli (Romeo, MI/Mahoning Valley NAHL) made it 2-0 on the power play. Thompson (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars) gave the hosts a three-goal cushion at 8:43 and the rout was on. Phil Wendecker (Westland, MI/TC North Stars) potted the lone goal of the second period, before Dan Radke (Orinda, CA/TC North Stars) registered a power play marker 9:33 into the final frame, and Thompson racked his second of the contest - and team-best 22nd of the season - with 8:41 to play.

"We got a solid four-line effort across the board tonight," assessed Palumbo. "The Thompson-Shkreli-(Doug) Clifford line was great, Andy Huff had more opportunities, Kyle Jean got his feet going and had some chances, and the Salomone line played with tremendous energy. And when they did get in on us, Drew (Strandberg) was right there."

The adversarial third period featured a quartet of scraps, including Eric McLintock-Mike Monfredo, Trevor Campbell-Cody Wydo, Curtis Heinz- R. Anthony Coles, and Alec Shields-Eric Millisor. The McLintock- Monfredo tussle was the most protracted of the four, while Campbell- Wydo occurred after the stoppage of play and will cost each a mandatory one-game respite in Saturday's series finale.

Strandberg (Thunder Bay, ONT/Thunder Bay SIJHL) made 20 saves to improve to 18-7-1, whittle his goal-against average to 2.52, and boost his save percentage to .905. He's 6-1 since Christmas, and has allowed one goal - or posted a shutout - nine times this season.

Shkreli, Nilan Nagy (Grand Rapids, MI/Wichita Falls NAHL), and Clifford (Woodhaven, MI/Mahoning Valley NAHL) collected two assists apiece, while four others had one each: Bo Jacobs (Twin Lake, MI/TC North Stars), Chris Heineman (New Boston, MI/TC North Stars), Jean (Sault Ste. Marie, MI/TC North Stars/Lake Superior St.), and Huff (Howell, MI/Honeybaked U18).

The teams will face off again on Saturday in a 7 p.m. contest at Centre ICE arena.

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North American Hockey League Stories from February 27, 2010


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