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    Hockey North Stars vs Wenatchee Wild
September 30, 2009

Stars give Wild first loss

Teams split series at Centre ICE

BY JAMES COOK

TRAVERSE CITY -- It took 11 games, but someone finally handed Wenatchee its first loss of the season.

The Traverse City North Stars controlled the game from the onset en route to a convincing 4-1 victory over the West Division-leading Wild (10-1-0) in the league's only game on Tuesday.

The Wild won 3-2 on Monday in TC's home opener, but the North Stars were able to exact some revenge on a weary Wild squad.

"We lost the last game against them by a hair," said Stars forward Doug Clifford, "so we knew we had to split."

After taking control in the first period, the Stars took complete control in the second stanza, scoring three times to establish a commanding 4-0 lead.

Clifford and Andy Huff scored 11 seconds apart in the second period, as Clifford cashed a Wenatchee turnover into a wrister to the back of the net and before that goal could even be announced, Huff ripped one under the crossbar.

"Probably Doug Clifford was our best player in back-to-back nights," Stars coach Anthony Palumbo said. "And Huff can change a game with his scoring ability."

Huff assisted on Clifford's goal, and Clifford set up Huff's.

"The lines were messed up because (Dan) Radke got hurt," Clifford said. "So I was out there with Huff and (Eric) McLintock and we were able to get some pressure on them and get a goal."

Radke hurt his back, although the injury doesn't appear to be major.

But the back-to-back goals by Clifford and Huff took any steam left in Wenatchee's sails.

"They didn't give up, but it made it tough to get back into the game," Clifford said of TC's third and fourth goals.

Sean Burke had made it 2-0 when he swiped the puck from Wild goalie Mac Carruth behind the net and tucked it around the other side.

Wenatchee's Shawn Pauly scored with 6:33 left, a goal that trickled in off Drew Strandberg's stacked pads and did little more than spoil Strandberg's shutout.

The Stars established the tempo early, outshooting the Wild 12-7 in the first period and holding Wenatchee's vaunted power play unit to one shot on goal in four minutes with the advantage. Bo Jacobs won his second fight in as many days, as the 6-foot, 190-pound defenseman landed several solid shots on Andrew Christ, despite Christ (6-4, 203) having a distinct reach advantage. Christ had to leave the game to get a cut on his right cheek tended to.

A day after Palumbo was critical of the team not getting enough pucks on net, Traverse City came out firing, forcing Carruth to make three stops in the first minute of play, including a pad save on Clifford on the doorstep off a Garrett Thompson feed from behind the net.

"We have not started games too well recently," Palumbo said. "We got the first goal, which I think is very important."

With 6:26 left in the first that TC largely controlled, Tim Opie backhanded a shot past Carruth's blocker side to put the Stars up 1-0. Radke and Huff drew assists on the game's opening score.

The Robertson Cup finalists finished off a grueling five-day road trip with a 4-1-0 record against Alpena and Traverse City.

"We played better and this was their 11th game in two weeks," Palumbo said. "We had some jump ... I was absolutely pleased with our effort."

Wenatchee was playing for the fifth time in as many days, while the Stars haven't had too much more rest, playing three games in four days.

Wenatchee outshot TC 19-8 in the third period -- which included the Wild pulling their goalie with 2:44 left -- to hold a 32-27 bulge in shots, although TC led 19-13 through two periods.

The Stars improved in all three areas Palumbo was critical of after Monday's 3-2 loss to Wenatchee -- guarding the front of the net, getting pucks on their net and the penalty kill.

"I thought we won more battles in front of the net," Palumbo said. "We did a lot of little things better. After the first period of the first night, our penalty kill adjusted really well."

The victory puts TC two points up on Marquette in the North Division, although the Rangers have two games in hand.

ICE CHIPS: The three stars of the game were all from Traverse City, with Huff drawing top honors, followed by Strandberg and Clifford. ... The game's paid attendance was 950. ... The Stars could get back scoring forwards Kyle Jean and Nick Shkreli as soon as the series at Motor City on Oct. 9-10, although Palumbo said he may wait until the Oct. 16-17 home series with Janesville to put the two back in the lineup. Both have been cleared for full participation in practice. Both are coming back from injuries sustained late last campaign and have yet to see game action this season.

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