Wunder Crosses 200 Points; Eskymos Stop Chiefs

HOUGHTON---It was only a matter of time before Levi Wunder would cross a scoring milestone in his Escanaba High School hockey career.

He entered Friday night's game against the Cheboygan Chiefs with 199 career points in his two-and-a-half seasons wearing the Orange and Black. It took most of the first period for it to happen, but Wunder scored a goal...and then added another goal and assist...to lead the Eskymos to a 6-2 win over the Chiefs at the Jeffers New Year's Invitational.

"I couldn't be happier," Wunder said. "I have to thank all of my teammates from these last three years. You can't do it by yourself. I've had a lot of great guys around me, and I've been fortunate enough that they get me the puck. I'm honored to be a part of the program and I'm glad I came back (for his senior season) to make an impact."

"He didn't stand out a whole lot tonight, but he made things happen," Eskymo Coach Matt Hughes said. "He put the puck in the back of the net, he set some plays up. He had to work hard."

"We had a ceremony in the locker room for him afterwards. To get the 200 mark in points is just unreal. Give him all the credit in the world."

But Wunder didn't get started right away. The Chiefs played a strong first period, and grabbed the lead on Josh Stempky's goal 8:49 into the game.

Levi Wunder scores 200th career point

Gauthier tied the game less than five minutes later as he rushed after a loose puck between two Cheboygan defenders. He got a stick on the puck and it crossed the goal-line just before the net came loose.

Then Wunder's milestone point came at the 15:01 mark as he beat goalteder Cooper Kelley through the five-hole. Matt Casey and Hunter LaMarch drew the assists.

Escanaba added to its lead in the second period when Wunder won a one-on-one battle in the corner and got the puck to Garth Wickham for a tap-in goal. That made it 3-1.

Then Gauthier scored his second goal of the game at the 11:43 mark and it was 4-1.

Cheboygan (4-7-0) got some life at the end of the period when D.J. Sayers scored a top-shelf goal after he was knocked down near the goal.

Two Eskymo defenders collided on the play, and the high schot eluded goaltender Jack Valentine to make it a 4-2 game.

And it looked like the Chiefs would make it a 4-3 game when they scored a power play goal on a wrap-around early in the third period. But Valentine bumped into the goal post, knocking the net off of its pegs. The goal was waived off.

Escanaba put the game away with Wunder's second goal of the game. This one was on a rebound with 4:48 left in the third period. Chris LeMire closed the scoring late in the period as he stole the puck from a defenseman and scored up high to make it 6-2.

Dylan Gauthier passes to Blaine Borman

In the final minute, Gauthier got a loose puck and went into the Chiefs zone with a possible hat trick on his stick. But he passed to linemate Blaine Borman, who went in goal but was stopped by goaltender Cooper Kelley.

"I thought it was Schwalbach at first, and then I realized it was Borman at the end," Gauthier said. "I just kind of heard him talking to me, and I came past the 'D'. I passed it to him because the first time I came down here in the second period, I didn't pass it to Schwalbach and we didn't get a shot off. So, I was like, 'I've got to pass it now'."

"He made a very unselfish play," Hughes said. "It was unfortunate that we couldn't finish on it. But that just shows you the type of player that Dylan is. He's going to make the right play if it's there." Gauthier was given the game's #2 star, behind Wunder.

Gauthier scored two goals one week after being demoted from the team's top line to the fourth line. He was very effective Friday with Borman and Gavin Schwalbach.

"Dylan needed this," Hughes said. "He needed a good 'confidence game' like this. He really responded and made things happen. His first goal was a flat-out foot race."

Sophomore defenseman Paul Carne was given the game's #3 star. He logged a lot of ice time, and the highlight of the game was a blocked shot of a point-blank chance.

"That didn't feel too good," Carne said. "I got it right on the top of the knee."

Chris LeMire gets steal and goal

"Paul had a great game," Hughes said. "He kept it simple. He was physical. He was strong on the puck. He made plays when he needed to make plays. Not a standout game on the scoresheet, but he did the simple things that we asked of him."

Escanaba improved to 8-2-1 on the season. The Eskymos will face the Pinckney Pirates from southern Lower Michigan on Saturday as the tournament continues.

The Pirates lost Friday night to the host Painesdale-Jeffers Jets, 8-4. Saturday's game starts at 1:00 and will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. The broadcast starts at 12:45 with the pre-game show.

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

11/21	7:00 PM	Alpena Wildcats	7 - 1 (W)	1-0

11/22	1:00 PM	Alpena Wildcats	7 - 0 (W)	2-0

11/25	7:00 PM	at Kingsford Flivvers	4 - 2 (W)	3-0

11/29	1:00 PM	Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	3 - 3 (T)	3-0-1

12/2	7:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	4 - 1 (W)	4-0-1

12/8	7:00 PM	Negaunee Miners	9 - 1 (W)	5-0-1

12/13	1:00 PM	at Hancock Bulldogs	3 - 7 (L)	5-1-1

12/19	7:00 PM	at Houghton Gremlins	3 - 6 (L)	5-2-1

12/26	7:00 PM	Painesdale-Jeffers Jets	9 - 3 (W)	6-2-1

12/27	1:00 PM	Painesdale-Jeffers Jets	5 - 1 (W)	7-2-1

1/2	6:00 PM	Cheboygan Chiefs	6 - 2 (W)	8-2-1

1/3	1:00 PM	at Pinckney Pirates	7 - 4 (W)	9-2-1

1/16	8:15 PM	at Bay City Central Wolves	4 - 2 (W)	10-2-1

1/17	12:00 PM	at Macomb Dakota	4 - 2 (W)	11-2-1

1/20	7:00 PM	Marquette Redmen	0 - 2 (L)	11-3-1

1/22	7:00 PM	at Calumet Copper Kings	3 - 4 OT (L)	11-4-1

1/27	7:00 PM	Kingsford Flivvers	5 - 2 (W)	12-4-1

1/30	7:00 PM	Houghton Gremlins	0 - 4 (L)	12-5-1

1/31	1:00 PM	at Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	0 - 1 OT (L)	12-6-1

2/5	6:00 PM	at Novi High School	3 - 5 (L)	12-7-1

2/6	6:15 PM	at Woodhaven High School	3 - 5 (L)	12-8-1

2/7	2:15 PM	at Berkley-Ferndale United	6 - 3 (W)	13-8-1

2/12	7:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	5 - 6 (L)	13-9-1

2/20	7:00 PM	Calumet Copper Kings	4 - 3 OT (W)	14-9-1

2/21	1:00 PM	Hancock Bulldogs	2 - 4 (L)	14-10-1

3/3	7:00 PM	Negaunee Miners	3 - 0 (W)	15-10-1

3/5	7:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	4 - 2 (W)	16-10-1

3/7	1:00 PM	Bay Area Thunder Hockey	8 - 0 (W)	17-10-1

3/10	7:00 PM	Traverse City Central Trojans	7 - 3 (W)	18-10-1

3/12	5:00 PM	Livonia Stevenson Spartans	2 - 3 (L)	18-11-1