TC Overcomes 2-0 Deficit

Published on January 4, 2009 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release


TRAVERSE CITY - If there is one thing to take away from this weekend's Traverse City-Mahoning Valley showdown series at Centre ICE arena, it's this: A two-goal lead is never safe.

For the third straight game, a team came from a two-goal deficit to claim victory in a series that had the intensity of a postseason clash, as the host North Stars potted the final four goals in a 4-2 triumph over the first-place Phantoms on Sunday in the series finale. Traverse City roared back from a 4-2 third-period deficit on Friday in a 5-4 shootout win, while Mahoning scored thrice in 2:49 on Saturday in overcoming a late 3-1 disadvantage.

TC's Kyle Jean continued his post-Thanksgiving offensive combustion, racking Sunday's third-period game-winner, and adding a long-range empty-netter to seal the series rubber match. Jean (Sault Ste. Marie, MI/TC North Stars/Lake Superior State) has eight goals and six assists in the 12 games since Nov. 28.

"Even when we were down 2-0, we were playing well," said Stars head coach/GM Anthony Palumbo. "And the most important thing we did was keep playing our game. We didn't change our approach. If you're up three (goals), tied, or down four - you have to be consistent and we did that today."

The contest, and entire series for that matter, featured the palpable intensity of playoff hockey - and then some. There were 70 minutes of box time issued in the final 1:18 of the affair after Jean's empty-net goal, including a trio of ejections. Mahoning's Trevor Shively drew a fighting instigator penalty with 1:02 on the clock after enjoining Stars captain Kyle Bonis (Lindsay, ONT/TC North Stars) at a face-off. Both were assessed game misconducts and will have to sit out a game, as will Phantoms defenseman Carl Neilsen, who collected 34 penalty minutes in one fell swoop late in the third period.

"I think that we'll always have a rivalries with Alpena and Marquette because of simple proximity, but I think Mahoning is one of our true rivals," Palumbo added. "And if we weren't before this weekend, an intense, back-and-forth series like this one certainly helps it along."

After Nick Shkrelli and Johnny Meo put Mahoning Valley on top 2-0 early in the second period, David Johnstone (Grand Ledge, MI/TC North Stars) got the hosts on the scoreboard at 6:24 of the middle stanza. Bonis and Marc Thompson (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars) assisted. Traverse City then cranked out a trio of third period goals, kicked off by Josh Miller (Trenton, MI/Trenton HS) a mere 25 seconds in, and followed by Jean's fourth game-bagger of the season at 7:37 and his empty-net moon shot with 1:03 to play. Bonis and Thompson set up Miller's goal, Eric McLintock (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars) assisted on Jean's winner, and Bonis converted his third career ‘playmaker' (three assists in one game) on the final rejoinder. C.J. Motte (St. Clair, MI/Honeybaked AAA) worked the North Stars pipes, stopping 27 of 29 shots for his eighth win of 2008-09.

Traverse City improved to 18-7-5, and presently sits two points behind Mahoning Valley (20-8-3) in the NAHL North Division standings. Third-place Alpena is four points back of the North Stars, and Marquette is five behind TC. Marquette (16-15-4) comes to Centre ICE arena next weekend for a Friday-Saturday series almost certain to generate a similarly intense atmosphere.

"We can look at who is where in the standings, and how many games we have played against how many other teams have played so far, but it's pretty simple, really: win the games you play and whatever happens, happens," Palumbo opined. "If you take care of what's on your plate, it'll take care of itself."

Next weekend's Marquette-Traverse City series will face off at 7 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday at Centre ICE arena.

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North American Hockey League Stories from January 4, 2009


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