MARQUETTE---Until just a few minutes before the opening faceoff Tuesday night in Marquette, the Escanaba Eskymos didn't know who would be starting in goal against the arch-rival Redmen. Would Jack Valentine be able to go, after mkissing Saturday's game and Monday's practice with a hamstring injury? Or would it be backup Brodie Goddard?
The answer came quickly as Valentine shook off the sore "hammy" to get the start in net. And he had one of his best games of the season, stopping 28 shots and posting a shutout.
Escanaba beat Marquette, 2-0, at Lakeview Arena as Garth Wickham and Chris LeMire scored goals less than two minutes apart. Parker LaMarch assisted on both goals.
"I knew as soon as warm-ups were over that I was going to give it a shot, and see how it went," Valentine said. "I was pretty sore, so I didn't know how it was gonna go."
"It all starts with warm-ups. I think I had a decent warm-up today, and you always know Marquette's going to put pressure on you right away," Valentine continued. "You know they're gonna keep doing that through the entire4 game, so just keep your head in the game and focus. That's what I did today."
Eskymo Coach Matt Hughes was pleased to see how Valentine, and his team, responded.
"He played excellent for us," Hughes said. "I thought the team really rallied around him at times throughout the game. Especially in the third period. So, hats off to those 21 guys in there. They worked hard to win this one. Our defensemen played really well. They laid their bodies out to stop plays. We really came together as a team."
Marquette carried the play most of the evening, but the Redmen forwards missed the net on a number of occassions. Valentine was there when the Redmen did get in close. It was a scoreless game until Wickham scored a huge power play goal.
"We needed a power play there," Wickham said. "It brought some life into us, in a sense. Parker walked out, he took a shot, it hit off the goalie's glove. It went back (behind the net), the goalie was out of position. He (LaMarch) threw it back in front and it was just a scramble. I just threw it on net."
Then, less than two minutes later, LeMire scored on another feed from LaMarch.
"The first period, they won that one," LeMire said. "But we came out (in the second period), got the penalty kill, and then we got the power play and we started buzzing from there. Parker just made an absolutely amazing pass, and the goalie moved over, and it was wide open on the left side."
And then, it was all about Valentine, who made two big saves in the final seconds as Marquette pulled its goalie for an extra attacker. That preserved the shutout.
"He was our best player," Wickham said. "He stood on his head for us."
"He played a great game," LeMire said. "He's injured. He's fighting through all the battles within humself. He put out his heart tonight, and got us the 'W' for sure."
Escanaba (13-3-0) beat Marquette (9-5-0) for the second time this season. The teams will meet in the first round of the regional tournament in Escanaba next month.
The Eskymos return home this Thursday night for Parent's Night and a visit from the Calumet Copper Kings. Game time is 7:00 from Wells. 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 taken by Randy Ritari, videos taken by Mary Gauthier, and to listen to radio highlights and postgame interviews....and Gavin Schwalbach's interview.
Escanaba beat Marquette, 2-0, at Lakeview Arena as Garth Wickham and Chris LeMire scored goals less than two minutes apart. Parker LaMarch assisted on both goals.
"I knew as soon as warm-ups were over that I was going to give it a shot, and see how it went," Valentine said. "I was pretty sore, so I didn't know how it was gonna go."
"It all starts with warm-ups. I think I had a decent warm-up today, and you always know Marquette's going to put pressure on you right away," Valentine continued. "You know they're gonna keep doing that through the entire4 game, so just keep your head in the game and focus. That's what I did today."
Eskymo Coach Matt Hughes was pleased to see how Valentine, and his team, responded.
Marquette carried the play most of the evening, but the Redmen forwards missed the net on a number of occassions. Valentine was there when the Redmen did get in close. It was a scoreless game until Wickham scored a huge power play goal.
"We needed a power play there," Wickham said. "It brought some life into us, in a sense. Parker walked out, he took a shot, it hit off the goalie's glove. It went back (behind the net), the goalie was out of position. He (LaMarch) threw it back in front and it was just a scramble. I just threw it on net."
Then, less than two minutes later, LeMire scored on another feed from LaMarch.
And then, it was all about Valentine, who made two big saves in the final seconds as Marquette pulled its goalie for an extra attacker. That preserved the shutout.
"He was our best player," Wickham said. "He stood on his head for us."
"He played a great game," LeMire said. "He's injured. He's fighting through all the battles within humself. He put out his heart tonight, and got us the 'W' for sure."
Escanaba (13-3-0) beat Marquette (9-5-0) for the second time this season. The teams will meet in the first round of the regional tournament in Escanaba next month.
The Eskymos return home this Thursday night for Parent's Night and a visit from the Calumet Copper Kings. Game time is 7:00 from Wells. 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 taken by Randy Ritari, videos taken by Mary Gauthier, and to listen to radio highlights and postgame interviews....and Gavin Schwalbach's interview.
