FRASER, Mich. -- Chad Demers scored two goals and added one assist to lead the North Dakota Starz past the Troy (Mich.) Sting 3-1 in the title game of USA Hockey's Tier II 16 & Under National Championships at Great Lakes Sports City.

North Dakota opened the scoring with 8:27 left in the first period when forward Alex Gaustad passed to Demers, who turned on the red light for the 1-0 lead.

Troy tied the game with 15:42 to play in the second period on a five-on-three power play goal by defenseman Derek Schlau, assisted by Brian Baker and Alex Wargo. Demers, though, came back to score his second goal of the game with 3:14 to play in the third. Gaustad and Ryan Mohagen set up the go-ahead goal.

North Dakota scored its third goal with 7:23 to play in the game. William Peterson scored on the power play, assisted by Demers and Ryan Hills.

"We played a high school season, so this was a put-together type of team," Demers said. "We were really confident coming here."

Demers said his first goal came off a cycling stint by his team, and he one-timed the shot into the short side of the net. "On the second one, it was right off the faceoff, and I walked in all alone," he said.

North Dakota, based out of Grand Forks, was 6-0-0-0 for the weekend and 24-11-1 in USA Hockey play this season.

"We won it with the 14 & Under team a couple of years ago," said North Dakota coach Wade Storey.  "It's pretty much the same group of kids. Consistency has been the key. All three lines have done well. We've had good teamwork. The kids were ready, played hard and kept going all the way."

In the title game, "We were able to kill five penalties. This was probably the first game we put three solid periods together."

Troy was 4-1-1-0 for the weekend and 61-10-4 for the season.

"We like to establish our forecheck," said Sting coach Fred Costello. "We like to get the puck in deep and be physical. North Dakota has a great team and is very unselfish. They deserved to win.

"We got beat by a better team today. Overall, it was an excellent season. The boys did everything we asked of them. They never quit. We thought we had a chance to win the whole thing."

In the title game, Jonathon Berti made 35 saves for the Sting. Goalie Paatrick Arnason made 29 saves for the Starz.

"Winning this is a big deal for us," Demers said. "The guys on our team compete against each other during the season. Then we put this team together. It's a pretty special group."

In the preliminary rounds, Troy lost, 6-5, in overtime to the Long Island Rebels but came back to win, 6-1, against Medford and 4-2 against Belle Tire to advance to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, Troy won, 5-4, in overtime against the Brick Hockey Club and 4-2 in the semifinals against Toledo.

North Dakota opened the tournament with 3-2 wins against Belle Tire and the Long Island Rebels, and then beat Medford, 7-3. In the quarterfinals, North Dakota beat the Affton Americans, 2-0, and then won, 5-2, in the semifinals against Long Island.

Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc.