Stars erupt in third

TC thumps first-place Falcons, 4-1

BOX SCORE  |  FRIDAY GAME NOTES

PORT HURON – The Traverse City North Stars broke open an even-up contest on Sunday afternoon with a trio of third period goals, including an empty-netter in the final minute to close out a 4-1 victory over the first-place Port Huron Fighting Falcons at McMorran Arena.

Mitchell Snider’s goal just eight seconds into the final stanza proved to be the game-winner, and Stars netkeep Kyle Laslo turned aside 30 shots – 14 in the second period alone) – to give Traverse City a two-win weekend.

“It was a pretty similar effort to what we had on Friday night,” said Stars GM Anthony Palumbo, referring to TC’s 5-3 win over Michigan two days earlier. “We go into the third tied 1-1, Mitchell gets the quick one, that sets us off, and we go on to a pretty good third period. We have guys who are continuing to step up with a few of the guys still out (suspensions/injuries), and it’ll make for even more competitive lineup decisions once we get everyone back.”

J.D. Cotroneo (Woodbury, MN/Des Moines USHL)gave the visitors a 1-0 lead with 8:45 left in the first period, but the Falcons responded with a late-period goal.  The teams battled through a scoreless middle frame before Snider (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars NAHL)broke the seal on a final period troika, with Sean Murphy (Cary, NC/Tri-City USHL)adding an insurance marker at 8:35 and Will Badner’s (Cadillac, MI/Motor City NAHL)vacant-net cherry on top with :35 to play.

Laslo (Fenton, MI/Osoyoos KIJHL)stopped 30 of 31 shots, while Jared Van Wormer (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars NAHL)dished off a pair of assists.  Cotroneo, Kyle Haak (Okemos, MI/Lansing Capitals U18), Jake Peacock (Traverse City, MI/Bay Reps HS), Michal Toman (Prievidza, Slovakia/TC North Stars NAHL), and Kyle Loridon (Howell, MI/Lansing Capitals U18)chipped in with an assist apiece.

The North Stars (21-15-5) – who finished their regular-season series against the Falcons with a 7-4-1 record - will play host to second-place Kalamazoo next weekend at Centre ICE Arena for a Friday-Saturday series. Both games face-off at 7 p.m., with a Skate with the Stars post-game public skate following Saturday’s game.