Stars bounce Michigan, 5-3

Murphy, Van Wormer bag two each

BOX SCORE  |  PHOTOS  |  SUNDAY GAME NOTES

TRAVERSE CITY – The Traverse City North Stars surged to one-goal leads over the Michigan Warriors three times on Friday evening at Centre ICE Arena – and three times, the visitors answered with equalizers.

The fourth time proved to be the charm, however, as the Stars went ahead for the final time 5:33 into the third period and added an empty-netter in the final minute to forge a 5-3 triumph.

“I didn’t think it was a great first half of the game for us,” Stars GM Anthony Palumbo said. “We gave up two goals basically off of face-off plays. But I also think we picked up our play as the game wore on, won some of the battles we hadn’t been winning early in the game, and were able to come out with the two points.”

The seesaw affair commenced 11:37 into the first period, as Conor Durgan (Laingsburg, MI/Lansing Capitals U18)potted his first career junior goal, touching off a sequence of six alternating goals. Jared Van Wormer (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars NAHL)made it 2-1 with 3:39 to go in the first, Sean Murphy (Cary, NC/Tri-City USHL)put the Stars ahead 3-2 just 1:32 into the second, and again by a 4-3 count 5:33 into the third.  Van Wormer sealed it with :51 to play with the Warriors’ net vacated.

“For a while, it was anyone’s game,” Palumbo continued. “One of the teams had to go and take it, and tonight it was us that did that. We improved defensively as the game went on, and it was good to see us get the power play going on the game-winning goal, too. “

Five different North Stars dished out an assist apiece in the victory: Jake Peacock (Traverse City, MI/Bay Reps HS), Mitchell Snider (Traverse City, MI/TC North Stars NAHL), Chris Waterstreet (Northville, MI/TC North Stars NAHL), Nathan Harris (Fowlerville, MI/Lansing Capitals U18), and JD Cotroneo (Woodbury, MN/Des Moines USHL), who recorded his first point in a TC sweater and was +3 on the evening.

Zach Nagelvoort (Holland, MI/Kalamazoo NAHL)made 21 saves for Traverse City, raising his record to 3-3-1 since joining the Stars. TC outshot the Warriors by a 35-24 margin.

The North Stars (20-15-5) will visit first-place Port Huron for a Sunday matinee before playing host to second-place Kalamazoo next weekend at Centre ICE for a Friday-Saturday series.