Alpena digs out shootout victory over Stars

FROM STAFF REPORTS

December 13, 2008 12:00 am

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TRAVERSE CITY -- Erik Peterson and Jim McCusker scored and Nick Graves stopped four of the five shots he faced to lift Alpena to a 5-4 shootout win over the Traverse City North Stars on Friday.

TC's Kyle Bonis forced the extra session with an even-strength goal with 2:31 remaining in the third period. Christopher Heineman had the assist.

The North Stars scored twice in the first 14:33 of the contest on goals by Bonis and Marc Thompson. Nathan Urbaniak and Josh Miller assisted on the first goal of the game while Tyler Stephens and Heineman had helpers on Thompson's power-play tally.

Less than a minute after the North Stars took a 2-0 lead, Alpena got on the board. Tyler Pillmore got the IceDiggers on the board with assists going to John Fritsche and Jason Souva.

Garrett Thompson had the lone second-period goal for the Stars. Marc Thompson and Stephens assisted.

Alpena also had one goal in the second on J.C. Gulch's short-handed tally. Ryan Timar had the assist.

The Diggers went up 4-3 midway through the third period on goals by Timar and Gulch. Bonis forced overtime, where neither team could score.

Alpena went first in the shootout and went up 1-0 when its second shooter, McCusker, got one past Brandon Stephenson.

Dan Radke had the lone goal in the shootout goal for Traverse City on its fourth try. Peterson gave Alpena a 2-1 lead in the shootout and it was enough as Graves stopped Jarrod LaBelle to give the Diggers the extra point.