U-18s edge Stars, 2-1
March 9, 2007 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Traverse City North Stars News Release
ANN ARBOR - In 2005-06, the Traverse City North Stars and U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-17 team battled through eight one-goal contests, with the U-17s eventually pulling out a 1-0 victory in the decisive fifth game of the NAHL North semifinals. Most of those U-17s now comprise the U-18 roster, and the clubs have picked up right where they left off last April.
On Friday at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube, it was another one-goal affair - a 2-1 win for the U-18s - and North Stars head coach Scott Gardiner was pleased with just about everything except the final score.
"It was a tough, gritty performance tonight," Gardiner assessed. "We played some great team defense - I mean the shots they did get were from the perimeter, and it was our plan coming in to try to keep them on the outside."
Traverse City forward Zach Hitch, who had been an offensive force the second half of the season, returned after a month on the injured list with his team-leading 14th goal (t-Matt Hughes) to open the scoring late in the first period on assists from Nate Urbaniak and Sabastion Kimmel. The Under-18s struck back in the second with the man advantage, and exacted the deciding marker with 8:32 to play, but both teams had difficulty solving the other's netkeeper. Kyle Jendra, who was named the game's No. 1 Star, stopped 40 of 42 shots, while Brad Phillips made 16 saves in 17 chances.
"Jendra played a great game," Gardiner said. "And it was good to get 'Reg' (defenseman Jameson Raymond) and Hitch back from injury. We're a different team with those guys, and we're just not deep enough to absorb their loss. But we're healthy now and if we get the same effort we got tonight for the next seven games, we're going to win some hockey games. Then we'll just let the chips fall where they fall, and see where we are."
Traverse City (17-33-5) remains seven points behind Marquette for the fourth and final playoff slot in the NAHL North. The Rangers are off this weekend before hosting Alpena and West-leading Fargo-Moorhead next weekend. The North Stars face off against the host U-18s again on Saturday evening.
North American Hockey League Stories from March 9, 2007
- Bandits take first game of weekend series - St. Louis Bandits
- U-18s edge Stars, 2-1 - Traverse City North Stars
- U.S. National Under-17 Team Claims 2-1 Victory Over Traverse City - U.S. National Team
- Phantoms edge Alpena - Mahoning Valley Phantoms
- IceDiggers to honor Wildcats tonight - Alpena IceDiggers
- Bobcats defeat Jets, 4-2 - Bismarck Bobcats
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