Defending State Champions Roll Past Eskymos, 7-1

HANCOCK---The Hancock Bulldogs looked are already looking like the team that won the Division Three state championship last spring. The Bulldogs won their fifth straight game on Saturday, beating the Escanaba Eskymos, 7-1, at the Houghton County Arena.

The Bulldogs got five goals from their top line and cruised to the victory. Sophomore Alex Nordstrom scored three goals and added a pair of assists, while linemate Lance Kangas scored twice and Ted Randell contributed a three-assist playmaker.

Nordstrom got things started quickly, scoring bjust 31 seconds into the game. The Eskymos stayed with the Bulldogs for a while before Nordstrom sprung free on a 2-on-1 into the Escanaba zone. Goaltender Brodie Goddard stopped Nordstrom's shot, but Kangas followed up to make it 2-0.

Then, with 32 seconds left in the period, Nordstrom scored again, and it was 3-0.

In the second period, Tanner Givens scored on the power play at the 5:08 mark.

Trailing 4-0, the Eskymos had a big chance to score when they received a five-minute power play. But Hancock goaltender Cam Murray slammed the door, and Nordstrom completed with hat trick with 23 seconds left in the period to make it a 5-0 game.

Givens scored his second goal of the game 1:32 into the third period, with Devyn LaCourt and Cody Budwig assisting, to make it 6-0. And then the Bulldogs (5-1) got their third power play goal of the game when Kangas scored with eleven minutes left.

The Eskymos (2-4) were able to avoid the mercy rule when defenseman Reece Hubert scored his first Eskymo goal with 1:24 left in the game. Scout Wunder assisted.

Escanaba is home next weekend for two games, on Friday against Houghton (7:00) and Saturday against Painesdale-Jeffers (3:00). Friday's game will be broadcast live on WGKL-FM (Kool 105.5) and WCHT-AM (NewsTalk 600). Saturday's game will be broadcast on NewsTalk 600. Both will be streamed on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

MARQUETTE 2, WARREN DELASALLE 2---In Marquette on Saturday, the Redmen rallied from two goals down in the final six minutes of the game to get a 2-2 tie with Warren delaSalle. Ethan Jones got Marquette on the board, and then as time wound down, Tanner Phillips tied the game on the power play with 46 seconds left.