Stars win home ice, 7-3

Published on March 25, 2011 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release


TRAVERSE CITY - Alexander Taulien and Alec Shields scored two goals each, while Tim Opie and Chris Waterstreet each dealt a pair of assists on Friday at Centre ICE Arena, helping the Traverse City North Stars power past Port Huron 7-3 in the club's regular season home finale.

The win secures second place in the NAHL North Division for Traverse City, which will host either Janesville or Michigan next Friday and Saturday at Centre ICE.

The Stars (39-17-1) packed four goals into a four-minute span in the middle of the first period, and added three more in the first 2:10 of the second, blowing the game wide open. The Falcons got on the board twice late in the final period to make it a four-goal spread. Steve Bolton (Las Vegas, NV/Amarillo NAHL) made 17 saves in net for the hosts, improving to 11-1 in a Stars sweater.

"I was happy that we went out and took control early on," said Stars head coach/GM Anthony Palumbo. "It's hard to get up like that and stay up - it's hard to stay intense when you have a six-goal lead. In the end, we did what we needed to and achieved the last thing we could this regular season."

Sean Murphy (Cary, NC/Austin NAHL) got things started for the hosts, racking a power play goal 7:24 into the game. Alexander Taulien (Crystal Lake, IL/Lansing Capitals U18) made it 2-0 a mere 15 seconds later, Alec Shields (Pittsburgh, PA/TC North Stars/Mercyhurst College) added another power play goal at 10:08, and Taulien capped the first frame with a response to a Port Huron tally, putting TC up 4-1 with 53 seconds remaining before the first intermission.

Eric Rivard (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars), James Albrecht (Geneva, IL/Chicago NAHL), and Shields opened a two-minute breakneck stretch of the second stanza with rapid-fire markers to give the North Stars a 7-1 advantage. The Falcons wouldn't quit, scoring a pair of late goals a little more than a minute apart. The teams will meet again tomorrow evening in Port Huron to close out the regular season, but Palumbo says there won't necessarily be any final-game respite.

"Why wouldn't we want to go for 80 points, for 40 wins?," he said. "We could really set the bar high for next year's team. We'll put that in their (the players') minds."

Michigan and Janesville opened their three-game series on Friday, with the Jets claiming a 1-0 victory. The winner of that series, which concludes Sunday afternoon, will be the Stars' first round opponent.

"In all honesty, we have no preference," Palumbo concluded. "Either one will provide a challenge. They're both good teams, so however it plays out, we'll show up and play."

Tim Opie (Troy, MI/TC North Stars) and Chris Waterstreet (Northville, MI/Omaha USHL) had two assists each, while Curtis Heinz (Grand Rapids, MI/TC North Stars), Justin Scott (Detroit, MI/Fargo USHL), Michal Toman (Slovakia/Cedar Rapids USHL), Mitchell Snider (Traverse City, MI/TC West HS), Michael Szmatula (Commerce Twp., MI/Lansing Capitals U18), and Christopher Dienes (Traverse City, MI/TC West HS) drew one apiece.

The Stars played without top goal-scorer Kelin Ainsworth, as well as defensemen Zack Dorer and Connor Schmidt, forward Ryan Amin, and two-way threat Robert Wiener, all of whom were scratched due to injuries.

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North American Hockey League Stories from March 25, 2011


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