Stars Tripped by Fury, 5-4

January 2, 2004 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Columbus Stars News Release


For only the second time this season, the Stars failed to get a point after scoring the game's first goal as the Muskegon Fury scored five unanswered goals and then hung on for a 5-4 win over Columbus.

Columbus (18-9-4) outshot the visiting Fury 23-5 in the third period and 48-16 for the game but could not make up the four-goal defecit. Muskegon goaltender Sylvain Daigle made 44 saves to preserve the team's league leading 22 win of the year. The Fury (22-9-1) got two goals from Scott Hollis including a wrap around goal at 11:15 of the first that tied the game at 1-1.

Stars' captain Nick Bootland tallied two goals including the final goal of the game on a backhand shot that slid under Daigle and inside the far post with 5:36 remaining in the game.

The Stars went 2-for-4 on the power play with Matt Noga and Bootland collecting man-advantage goals. Columbus gave up a power play goal to the UHL's leading scorer Robin Bouchard who notched his 25th goal of the year at 10:08 of the second period. Overall the Fury was 1-for-3 with the man advantage.

Columbus netminder Jimi St. John collected 11 saves as his inauspicious Stars' debut ended with a rally, but defeat. St. John, who started the year with Fort Wayne, stopped all five Fury shots in the third period.

The Stars are home tommorow night at 7:00 p.m. to face Port Huron in a rematch of last Friday's 2-1 shootout win. Sunday the Stars rematch with Muskegon in a 5 p.m. at Walker Arena in Michigan.



International Hockey League 2 Stories from January 2, 2004


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