OT Heartbreak: Copper King Rally Stuns Eskymos

CALUMET---When it's all said and done, the Escanaba High School hockey team will view Thursday night's game against the Calumet Copper Kings as a missed opportunity.

Or, more accurately, as a bunch of missed opportunities.

The Eskymos built a 3-0 lead but gave up four unanswered goals and lost to the Copper Kings, 4-3, at the Calumet Colosseum. Ryan Nelson's goal on a rebound shot 2:47 into the overtime period gave the Copper Kings their fourth victory of the season.

But from Escanaba's prespective, it didn't have to be this way. The Eskymos had the game under control, and had plenty of chances to put it into the victory column. But instead, it was a long bus ride home after another loss inside this ancient arena.

The game was scoreless after the first period, although the Eskymos outshot the Copper Kings, 13-3. Then Escanaba came out on fire to start the second period.

Chris LeMire put the Eskymos on the board 1:37 into the period, with Hunter LaMarch getting the assist. Just over one minute later, Calvin Pinar gave the Eskymos a 2-0 lead, with Levi Wunder and Blaine Borman drawing the assists.

Then later in the period, Escanaba went on its first power play, and Wunder cashed in with his 30th goal of the season.

Pinar and defensive partner Paul Carne drew the assists, and Escanaba had a huge 3-0 lead.

But the Copper Kings came back quickly, getting a goal from Tyler Loukus just 24 seconds after Wunder's goal. Then, with time winding down on the second period, Calumet closed to within 3-2 as Jake Anderson beat goaltender Jack Valentine with 1:17 left in the period.

The Copper Kings outshot Escanaba, 15-9, in the second period.

Paul Carne player spotlight interview

The Eskymos kept the 3-2 lead throughout the third period, and then had a huge chance to put the game away when Anderson was given a five-minute major penalty for boarding.

But Escanaba barely threatened on that long power play opportunity.

So, it stayed a 3-2 game, and with just over two minutes left in the game, LeMire was called for interference. Calumet took advantage of its power play chance, with Loukus getting his second goal of the game with 43 seconds left in the third period.

But before the game could reach overtime, the Copper Kings had to dodge a big bullet as Wunder raced in on a breakaway. With the game on his stick, Escanaba's all-time leading scorer was stopped by Copper King goaltender Ian Carroll.

The Copper Kings had the better chances in the overtime period. Valentine made a nice save in the first minute of the period. Calumet won the game when Maxx Frederickson let off an innocent-looking shot that Valentine stopped.

The puck was loose near the goal crease and Ryan Nelson swooped in and shot it into the net for the winning goal.

There was a lengthy delay in the second period when Eskymo sophomore Garth Wickham (pictured) collided with Calumet's Austin Rilei. Wickham got the worst of it, and was down on the ice for a time before being taken off of the ice on a stretcher. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Escanaba Coach Matt Hughes says that Wickham was released from the hospital late Thursday night with a soft brace on his neck. Preliminary findings indicated a cervical sprain, and possible damage to the muscles or ligaments in the spine.

Hughes says that he was told that the CT scan on Wickham was "clean".

Escanaba outshot Calumet, 34-28, but Carroll made 31 saves...many of them against Wunder. Valentine was credited with 24 saves for the Eskymos.

With the win, Calumet improved to 4-12-0 on the season, which will be the last for Copper King Coach Jim Crawford. Crawford is retiring at the end of this campaign.

The loss dropped Escanaba's record to 11-4-1, including an 0-3 record against the Copper Country's Houghton, Hancock, and Calumet. All three of those losses happened in the Keweenaw: all three of those teams still have to visit the Wells Sports Complex.

NEXT UP FOR ESKYMOS: Escanaba's next game is set for next Tuesday night, at home, against the Kingsford Flivvers. The game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 ET.

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