LaMarch Brothers, Buchbinder Lead Eskymos, 6-0

Click the thumbnails to see photos and videos taken by Micky LaMarch. Also hear post-game comments from Jayger LaMarch, Sawyer LaMarch, Bryce Buchbinder, and Coach Andy Johnson. Also listen to Gunner Bourdeau's player spotlight interview.

WELLS---Jayger LaMarch had two goals and Sawyer LaMarch added three assists as the Escanaba Eskymos blanked the Negaunee Miners, 6-0, Tuesday night at the Wells Sports Complex. Goaltender Bryce Buchbinder made 21 saves for the shutout, as the Eskymos got out of the game without any ejections after a slew of penalties in the third perios.

"I felt good," Buchbinder said. "We knew coming in that it was gonna be rough and chippy near the end. So I was prepared for it, and the whole team was prepared for it. We've got to play defensively 100-percent because the only offense we get is off the rush, so it's hard to keep it down there (in the offensive zone) because we get burnt out with 12 skaters."

Brayden Martineau opened the scoring for Escanaba just 2:22 into the game, scoring a goal for the fourth straight game off a pass from Jayger LaMarch. That was the only goal of the first period, but in the second period, Escanaba scored two goals seven seconds apart.

First, it was captain Karson Krutina, on the ice because Sawyer LaMarch got hurt on a Gunner Bourdeau shot, skated up the near side and scored a short-side goal on Negaunee goaltender Ryan Kerkela, making it a 2-0 game.

Then off the face-off, Sawyer LaMarch won the draw to himself, pushed it ahead, and went in on goal for the top-shelf goal to give Escanaba a 3-0 lead.

"I tied him (centerman), pushed it through his legs, since it's been working the last couple of games," Sawyer LaMarch said. "Their defense, they're a little weak, so, I mean, I'd been putting kids in blenders the whole game, so I decided to do it one more time and roof it on the goalie."

Jayger LaMarch scored two goals in the third period at the 3:15 and 7:17 marks, both of them set up by his litlle brother Sawyer and one also assisted by his cousin, Martineau.

"It's got to be (the family connection," Jayger LaMarch said. "The chem's there, it's been there. Bill and Sauce (Martineau and Sawyer) do their jobs down low. They find me in front and it was perfect."

Trevor Streichert closed the scoring for the Eskymos with 1:42 to play as he blasted home an unassisted goal from the left circle.

Eskymo Coach Andy Johnson was happy that his guys survived a chippy third period that featured many penalties, but fortunately, no major ones.

"I was just trying to tell the boys to just stay classy, keep your heads, stay out of it," Johnson said. "We've got two Muskegon teams we've got to go up against (in Marquette) and let's start focusing on that. Let's just keep our defensive zone, play good, and let's finish this game."

Johnson says he was impressed with his very young third line of Cale Carter, Cody Nelson, and Alex Schwalbach. All three are freshmen, but with only 12 skaters on the entire team, they've had to grow up quick.

"Those guys were the hardest-working guys on the ice tonight," Johnson said. "Their back-check was just unreal. They started getting some confidence. Alex was playing really well, Cale was working hard, and Nelly was going, too. He played really well tonight, too."

All that was left was for Buchbinder to finish his shutout, and he made his best save of the night with less than one minute left in the game. Buchbinder was given the Eskymo Hard-Hat, which goes to the MVP/hardest worker of the game.

He took it home with him, and has a surprise for his Gladstone High School classmates at school on Wednesday.

"I'm wearing it to school tomorrow," Buchbinder said. "They're gonna love it."

Is he putting any Braves purple on the hard hat for the occassion?

"No, Gof no!," he said.

Escanaba improved to 4-2-0 on the season while Negaunee fell to 2-5-0.

The Eskymos will face Muskegon Reeths Puffer Friday night at a tournament in Marquette. The game starts at 6:00 and will be broadcast live on WCHT-FM/AM (93.5/600) and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

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