Esky Offense Breaks Loose In 10-2 Rout Of Miners

WELLS---That red goal light really does work behind the opposing goaltender.

After struggling to light that lamp in their first five games, the Escanaba Eskymos broke loose Monday night for a 10-2 win over the Negaunee Miners at the Hannahville Ice & Turf. Garth Wickham and linemate Parker LaMarch both scored three goal hat tricks.

"The upperclassmen, they really played well for us, and it was perfect timing for that," Escanaba Coach Matt Hughes said. "That's gonna trickle down to the rest of the players throughout the next game in Hancock. The top line for us played extremely well. I thought, overall, all three of our lines played good, especially when we got the puck down low."

Negaunee entered the game with a 4-1 record, but with wins over Dexter, L'Anse, and Painesdale-Jeffers. Escanaba came in with a 1-4 record against much tougher opponents, but had scored just eight goals in those five contests.

The Miners battled early as the Eskymos started slow, but after Brodie Goddard made five saves and the Eskymos killed off a penalty, things changed quick.

Rookie defenseman Chris Sliva scored with a knuckleball shot from the point at the 9:03 mark, and then Wickham scored his first, on the power play, less than two minutes later.

That top line kept firing on all cylinders when LaMarch scored at 13:26, then right off the center ice faceoff, Wickham took the pass from Chris LeMire and scored 14 seconds after LaMarch's tally. And then at 16:02, LaMarch scored again, and that made it 5-0.

"Coach told us before the game to just get shots on net, and that's what we did," Wickham said. "It's nice to get the monkey off the back, for the team. My line, third line, second line, defense included. It was nice to get everyone involved in the game."

LeMire, the team's captain, assisted on all five of those first period goals.

"I'll take that for sure," LeMire said. "I'm still not there with the scoring aspect of the game, but I'd rather set up my linemates and help them put the puck in the net and be a team player than just be selfish."

Wickham scored a sweet, top-shelf goal early in the second period to complete his hat trick and make it a 6-0 game. Negaunee was able to get a couple of goals off of backup goalie Aaron Young, with Neal Violetta and Trevor Borlace cutting it to 6-2.

So, was Young nervous when he got the call for his first varsity appearance?

"Oh, yeah," Young admitted. "When I first went out there, I was a little shaky. But I just calmed myself down, the players were cheering me on, and I went out there and did it."

Young stopped six of the eight shots he faced, and the Eskymos put the game away with four goals after those Miner tallies, outshooting Negaunee, 45-14....including 16-0 in the third period.

Kyle Egner scored on a point shot to make it 7-2, and then Christer Carne got his first Eskymo goal late in the second period to make it 8-2.

Hayden Haslow scored a pretty goal to make it 9-2early in the third period as the defenseman trailing in between the circles, with youngsters Grant Wickham and Ethan Silverstone drawing assists.

Then the Eskymos ended the game on LaMarch's hat trick goal.

The game was called by the eight-goal mercy rule with 9:16 left on the clock.

Escanaba (2-4) is off until Saturday, when the boys make the trek back to the Copper Country to face the defending Division Three State Champion Hancock Bulldogs. Game time is 1:00. It will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (NewsTalk 600), starting at 12:30.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos taken by Bill LaMarch, watch video highlights from Sandi Young, and listen to Parker LaMarch's hilarious player spotlight interview.