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Trouble In Traverse

December 3, 2011 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings News Release


Traverse City, MI- The Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings scored three goals in the second period, but they weren't enough, as they dropped their divisional contest to the Traverse City North Stars by a final of 5-3 on Saturday night in Traverse City. With the win, the North Stars completed their weekend sweep of the top two teams in the North Division (Port Huron, Kalamazoo)

The Jr. K-Wings surrendered the first goal of the game to the North Stars just eight and a half minutes into the opening frame. Jared Van Wormer gained the zone with a smooth deke move at the top of the circles. He slid the puck to the wide-open right-wing side to a waiting Sean Murphy who poked home his seventh of the season, all of which have come in the last nine games.

Just under three minutes into the second period, Traverse City would extend their lead to two goals. Forcing a turnover in the Kalamazoo zone, Will Badner threw a pass from behind the net, onto the tape of Van Wormer. He promptly ripped a wrist-shot from the top of the left circle and past Ken MacLean for his sixth tally of the campaign.

From the ensuing face-off, the next one minute and eleven seconds provided three goals. Austin Hervey scored his fourth of the year on a wrap-around effort off a dump-in from Chris Leone.

Under a minute later, Kalamazoo would pull even with Chris Hughes' tally. Hughes let a laser of a wrister go from the top of the left-wing circle that beat the Traverse City goalie, Kyle Laslo, over the glove. The goal for Hughes, the former Michigan Mr. Hockey winner, was his fourth of the season.

The Jr. K-Wings would only enjoy their comeback efforts for sixteen seconds. Mitchell Snider stole the puck from the Kalamazoo defense and entered the attacking zone from the left-wing side. He tried to slide a backhand pass to the slot, but the puck deflected off the stick of a Jr. K-Wing defender and through the legs of MacLean.

The back-and-forth scoring of the second period didn't stop there.

Kalamazoo tied the game for the second time on the night with Robbie Payne's 18th goal of the year. The shorthanded tally from Payne came on a breakaway effort off a stolen pass.

Eleven seconds later, Kalamazoo would again relinquish the tie. Alexander Taulien scored his fifth of the season on the power play, when he blasted home a rebound on the doorstep of the Jr. K-Wing net off a Michal Toman drive.

The North Stars began the third period with a bang, as it took them just over five minutes to give themselves a bit of insurance with a two-goal lead. Robert Wiener scored his second of the season when he snapped a backhander from the slot past MacLean.

MacLean took the loss to drop to 7-4-1 on the season, as his 23 saves on 28 shots were not enough to give Kalamazoo a chance to win. Laslo made 22 saves on 25 shots to gain the victory and improve his record to 13-4-3.

The Jr. K-Wings will return to the Borgess Health Rink at Wings West again on Saturday, December 10th against the Jamestown Ironmen.

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