Eskymos Swept By Alpena After Blowing Late Lead

WELLS---The Escanaba High School hockey team ended up with a winless weekend after dropping its second straight game to the Alpena Wildcats, 2-1, Saturday afternoon at the Hannahville Ice & Turf in Wells.

Nick Esch scored a pair of goals 58 seconds apart late in the third period to give the Wildcats the sweep of the weekend series. The Eskymos lost both games on their home ice after holding the lead in both contests.

"They kept us to the outside," Eskymo Coach Matt Hughes said of the Wildcats. "They worked very hard, very persistent on their forecheck. We started doing some good things and we'd string a few shifts together, and then it semmed like a couple mistakes would hurt us. Turnovers. You could tell that we just picked the team and that it's early in the season. "

Escanaba took a 1-0 lead in the second period when two newcomers teamed up. Freshman Grant Wickham took the shot, which was stopped, but sophomore Joey Jacobson pounded home the rebound for his first Eskymo goal.

"Grant Wickham was very persistent forechecking in the neutral zone," Hughes said. "He knocked the puck down, went in, took a shot, and Joey was right there for the rebound on the backhand. It was a very good play. Good hustle by theose guys."

Unfortunately, the Eskymos didn't have too many more plays like that.

They had a power play early in the third period with a chance to take a 2-0 lead, but couldn't generate any offense. Then Alpena tied the game with 6:28 left when a puck off the skate of Parker LaMarch, leading to a 3-0n-2 rush that ended with Esch's first goal.

Then, less than a minute later, Esch tipped in a shot to give Alpena the lead.

Escanaba's chance to a comeback essentially ended when Garth Wickham took a roughing penalty with 2:08 left in the game.

"It's a process," Hughes said. "We're going to handle it one day at a time, and get these kids better, skill-wise, and as a team."

Escanaba hosts Kingsford Tuesday night. Game time is 7:00. It will be Kingsford's season-opener.

The game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (NewsTalk 600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHIGHTS above to see photos taken by Sandi Young, video of a nice save by Brodi Goddard, and listen to interviews with Chris LeMire and Coach Hughes)