CHELSEA, Mich.---The Escanaba Eskymos had more shots on goal, and had the better of the scoring chances during Thursday's high school hockey game against the Farmington Falcons.
But the suburban Detroit team took advantage of several Eskymo mistakes and rode the steady goaltending of John Lethemon to post a 4-2 win at the Michigan Public High School Hockey Showcase in downstate Chelsea.
Early on, it looked like the Eskymos might run away with this game. Escanaba controlled the first five minutes of the game, holding on to the puck nearly the entire way. But they couldn't get their pinpoint-passing game to connect, and the game stayed 0-0.
But late in the period, the Falcons struck twice. First, Cam Noseworthy was left wide open between the circles and he whipped one past goaltender Nick LeMire for a 1-0 lead. Less than three minutes later, Trent Wolter scored on a rebound to make it 2-0.
Levi Wunder got the Eskymos on the board with a top-shelf goal 26 seconds into the second period, and they had several more scoring chances shut down by Lethemon.
Then late in the period, the Falcons got a 2-on-1 rush after the Eskymos turned the puck over in the neutral zone. Kris Hamilton scored the goal, making it a 3-1 game.
Escanaba got two straight power plays, but couldn't score. In fact, LeMire had to stop two shorthanded breakways just to keep it close. But Noseworthy scored on a rebound with 11:00 left in the game, putting Escanaba into a 4-1 hole.
T.J. Myrick scored from in close with 6:22 left in the game, and the Eskymos poured it on during the final few minutes. They got another power play, and pulled LeMire for a two-man advantage in the final minute. But they just couldn't get that big goal.
Farmington, which lost to Bay City, 8-0, earlier in this tournament, improved its record to 14-7-0 on the season. Escanaba's record fell to 11-6-2.
Escanaba faces Marysville Friday afternoon at 12:15. 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 above to see photos and videos taken by Mary and Taylor Gauthier, and to listen to radio replays and Dylan Gauthier's player spotlight interview.
Escanaba's Calvin Pinar dives for a loose puck and Farmington's Kris Hamilton also digs for it.
But the suburban Detroit team took advantage of several Eskymo mistakes and rode the steady goaltending of John Lethemon to post a 4-2 win at the Michigan Public High School Hockey Showcase in downstate Chelsea.
But late in the period, the Falcons struck twice. First, Cam Noseworthy was left wide open between the circles and he whipped one past goaltender Nick LeMire for a 1-0 lead. Less than three minutes later, Trent Wolter scored on a rebound to make it 2-0.
Levi Wunder got the Eskymos on the board with a top-shelf goal 26 seconds into the second period, and they had several more scoring chances shut down by Lethemon.
Dylan Gauthier Player Spotlight
Escanaba got two straight power plays, but couldn't score. In fact, LeMire had to stop two shorthanded breakways just to keep it close. But Noseworthy scored on a rebound with 11:00 left in the game, putting Escanaba into a 4-1 hole.
Farmington, which lost to Bay City, 8-0, earlier in this tournament, improved its record to 14-7-0 on the season. Escanaba's record fell to 11-6-2.
Escanaba faces Marysville Friday afternoon at 12:15. 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 above to see photos and videos taken by Mary and Taylor Gauthier, and to listen to radio replays and Dylan Gauthier's player spotlight interview.
