STARS SURVIVE

Muphy pots hat in 6-2 victory

BOX SCORE  |  PHOTOS  |  SATURDAY GAME NOTES

TRAVERSE CITY – The Traverse City North Stars will live to play another day.

Facing elimination after being swept last weekend in Kalamazoo, the North Stars owned all but a 20-second stretch of the second period on Friday evening at Centre ICE Arena to grab a 6-2 win in Game 3 of the NAHL North Division semifinals.

Sean Murphy (Cary, NC/Tri-City USHL)led the charge with the first goals of each period, including a pair of power play tallies and a spectacular unassisted shorthanded backhand effort to open the third.

“It was hard work, keeping it simple, and all the things we’ve strived for,” said Stars coach Chad Fournier. “We got great goaltending from Kyle (Laslo) and Murph had an outstanding game.”

Murphy waited until there was 3:25 to play in the first frame to give the hosts a lead they would not relinquish, scored again 6:21 into the second, and Jared Van Wormer (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars NAHL)made it 3-0 just 3:21 later. The K-Wings reeled off a pair of rapid-fire power play markers of their own to cut the deficit to a single goal at the second intermission, but Murphy completed the hat trick two minutes into the final stanza.

Will Badner (Cadillac, MI/Motor City NAHL)and Chris Leibinger (Saginaw, MI/TC North Stars NAHL/Michigan Tech)registered insurance salvos 19 seconds apart to instate a four-goal final margin at the final horn. 

Laslo (Fenton, MI/Osoyoos KIJHL)made 29 saves, and Badner dished out a pair of assists, while Leibinger, Kyle Schempp (Saginaw, MI/Compuware U18/Ferris State), Michal Toman (Prievidza, Slovakia/TC North Stars NAHL), Mitchell Snider (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars NAHL), and Eric Rivard (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars NAHL)drew one apiece.

The series continues on Saturday evening at Centre ICE, with the teams squaring off at 7 p.m. in a critical Game 4.

“We had to win the third game to get to a fourth game, and we can’t win No. 5 if we don’t come back on Saturday with an effort similar to what we saw tonight,” Fournier added. “They’re a good team, and they’ll come back and play even harder tomorrow. We have to be ready for that.”