Escanaba's '3rd Unit' Shines In Win Over Negaunee

NEGAUNEE---They call themselves the "Third Unit".

The freshman players on the Escanaba High School hockey team played a lot like their older "First Unit" teammates Monday night as the Eskymos beat the Negaunee Miners, 8-0, in Negaunee. It was Escanaba's 21st win of the season, a new school record.

Esky freshman Nick Aird carries the puck

Freshmen Hunter Lamarch and Charlie Zuidema each had a goal and an assist, and freshman Jack Valentine picked up his third shutout in goal for the Eskymos.

"They came out and did a nice job," Eskymo Coach Tim McCarthy said. "They were working hard, and we kept the kids moving around (between lines). It worked out pretty good. Anyone who missed their shift, well, they had to wait for another one."

Freshman defenseman Matt Casey didn't score, but he had a (+2) rating, and the game's #3 star.

"I felt pretty good," Casey said. "I felt I did fairly good keeping the puck in the zone. For defense, we were just playing five 'D' and kept switching on and off. Everyone got a good amount of ice time."

The older Eskymos also had their moments. Levi Wunder scored two goals and added two assists to run his season total to 41 goals and 73 points. Nick Vandermissen had four assists to raise his assists total to 40, and point total to 65. T.J. Myrick had two goals, Steve Wood had a pair of assists, and Jake Eastin scored a power play goal.

Hunter LaMarch had a goal and an assist.

But this night belonged to the freshmen, who McCarthy cycled into the line-up with the older kids throughout the night. Three lines, with kids of all ages coming in.

When the third period started, the Eskymos had a 7-0 lead, and were on the power play. That's when McCarthy put five freshmen out there (six, counting Valentine in net).

And it took them just 26 seconds to end the game on the mercy rule. Nick Aird got it to LaMarch, who passed to Zuidema for the clinching goal.

The freshmen were in heaven. Especially Zuidema, who got his first Eskymo varsity goal.

"It feels awesome, just getting out there and making something happen," Zuidema said. "We just had a feeling in the locker room. The third power play, so we get it out there, get a nice pass in the slot, and I put 'er in."

"Our first power play unit wasn't getting to done," McCarthy joked. "So our second power play unit and our third power play unit got the job done."

LaMarch had scored a goal of his own earlier in the game, a one-timer off a Wunder pass. Zuidema also assisted on Wunder goal in the first period for his first point.

Freshman Jack Valentine gets ready in net.

"The first shift, I kind of got something done, so I figured something maybe was gonna happen," LaMarch said. "Then the next shift, Levi give me a nice shot in the slot and I buried it!"

Escanaba led, 5-0, after the first period, and 7-0 after two. The Eskymos ended up outshooting Negaunee, 39-5, and beat the Miners for the third time this season.

The Eskymos are now 21-3 on the season, while the Miners are now 3-19.

Escanaba remains tied with Calumet for first place in the Great Lakes Hockey Conference standings.

Escanaba hosts Kingsford to close the regular season Thursday night while the Copper Kings will close out at the Armory against Marquette.

Thursday's Escanaba-Kingsford game will be Senior Night at the rink. The game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and on-line at www.rrnsports.com.

Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box to see photos by Lisa Dagenais, videos by Mike Dagenais, and listen to audio highlights.

Game 24: Escanaba Eskymos 8, Negaunee Miners 0

ESCANABA 5 2 1----8
NEGAUNEE 0 0 0----0

First Period
ESC 1-0: Lasecki 14 (Vandermissen) 5:03 SHG
ESC 2-0: Myrick 7 (McCarthy, Wood) 8:53
ESC 3-0: Wunder 40 (Zuidema, Vandermissen) 9:22
ESC 4-0: Wunder 41 (Vandermissen, Chaillier) 13:39
ESC 5-0: Myrick 8 (Lyle, Wood) 15:31 PPG

Second Period
ESC 6-0: Eastin 26 (Wunder, Vandermissen) 2:54 PPG
ESC 7-0: LaMarch 2 (Wunder) 7:13

Third Period
ESC 8-0: Zuidema 1 (Aird, LaMarch) 0:26 PPG

Escanaba Penalties (2/4): Lyle 2 interference; Ritter 2 holding.
Negaunee Penalties (3/6): A. Ledford 2 boarding; A. Ledford 2 tripping; E. Ledford 2 tripping.

Power Plays: Escanaba 3/3; Negaunee 0/2.
Shots on Goal: Escanaba 17-20-2=39; Negaunee 2-3-0=5.
Three Stars: 1. Zuidema, ESC; 2. LaMarch, ESC; 3. Casey, GLAD.

Charlie Zuidema (15) celebrates his goal as Negaunee's Alex Ledford (6), Ely Goupille (3) and goalie Tyler Riutta (1) watch. Nick Aird (14) also celebrates for the Eskymos. (Lisa Dagenais photo)

Date	Time	Opponent	Score	Record

11/27	7:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	7 - 5 (W)	1-0

12/5	7:00 PM	Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	1 - 3 (L)	1-1

12/7	7:30 PM	at Macomb Dakota	0 - 8 (L)	1-2

12/8	12:45 PM	at Utica Eisenhower	4 - 1 (W)	2-2

12/14	8:15 PM	Tomahawk, Wis.	9 - 1 (W)	3-2

12/15	2:15 PM	L'Anse Purple Hornets	9 - 1 (W)	4-2

12/18	7:00 PM	Negaunee Miners	9 - 0 (W)	5-2

12/28	8:15 PM	Monroe, Wis.	9 - 1 (W)	6-2

12/29	2:00 PM	Painesdale-Jeffers Jets	9 - 1 (W)	7-2

1/4	6:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	9 - 0 (W)	8-2

1/5	1:30 PM	at Grand Blanc Bobcats	9 - 1 (W)	9-2

1/8	7:00 PM	at Sault Ste. Marie Blue Devils	4 - 3 (W)	10-2

1/12	6:00 PM	at Calumet Copper Kings	2 - 5 (L)	10-3

1/15	7:00 PM	Marquette Redmen	3 - 1 (W)	11-3

1/26	7:00 PM	at Cheboygan Chiefs	8 - 0 (W)	12-3

2/1	7:00 PM	Alpena Wildcats	9 - 2 (W)	13-3

2/2	1:00 PM	Alpena Wildcats	6 - 4 (W)	14-3

2/7	8:00 PM	at Hartland Eagles	4 - 2 (W)	15-3

2/8	6:00 PM	at Rochester United	1 - 0 (W)	16-3

2/9	12:30 PM	at Chelsea Bulldogs	6 - 5 (W)	17-3

2/12	7:00 PM	at Kingsford Flivvers	7 - 5 (W)	18-3

2/15	7:00 PM	Calumet Copper Kings	7 - 3 (W)	19-3

2/16	1:00 PM	Hancock Bulldogs	4 - 3 (W)	20-3

2/18	7:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	8 - 0 (W)	21-3

2/21	7:00 PM	Kingsford Flivvers	6 - 3 (W)	22-3

2/26	7:00 PM	at Negaunee Miners	8 - 0 (W)	23-3

2/28	7:00 PM	at Marquette Redmen	8 - 0 (W)	24-3

3/2	1:00 PM	Saginaw Heritage Hawks	1 - 2 (L)	24-4