Traverse City Record-Eagle

Grand Traverse County

November 16, 2009

North Stars win fifth straight

Clifford nets game-winner

FROM STAFF REPORTS

JANESVILLE, Wis. -- Doug Clifford scored the game-winning goal with 4:32 left to lift the Traverse City North Stars to a 4-3 road victory over Janesville.

Drew Strandberg (11-2-0) made 21 saves for his fifth straight win between the pipes.

The victory was also the fifth straight for the North Stars, whose last setback was Oct. 17 against the Jets.

Traverse City (13-4-1) took a brief 3-2 lead late in the second on a Clifford goal (assisted by Curtis Heintz and Trevor Campbell), but the Jets answered with a Zack Smoot score 1:33 into the third.

Second-place Marquette topped North Iowa 4-3 in overtime to keep pace with TC in the North Division race. The Stars lead the division by three points.

Janesville (10-10) knotted the game up in the second period on back-to-back goals by Derek Jacobson and Jordan Bancroft (short-handed).

The Stars took an early 2-0 lead on goals by Tim Opie -- assisted by Clifford and Nick Shkreli -- and Shkreli from Opie and Bo Jacobs.

The Stars struggled on the power play, going 1-for-11. Janesville was 1-for-6 with the man advantage.

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