HOUGHTON----The Escanaba Eskymos played another down-to-the-wire hockey game on Saturday, losing to the Hancock Bulldogs, 3-2, at the Houghton County Arena.
Bulldogs freshman Alex Nordstrom scored the winning goal with 4:56 left in the game.
"We turned the puck over way too much in the first period," Escanaba Coach Matt Hughes said. "We got better as the game went on. We got into penalty trouble (in the third period). That hurt us, obviously. I don't think we deserved three in a row like they called them, but it is what it is."
Escanaba killed off all three of Hancock's consecutive power plays in the third period, but the guys were tired and could not get the puck out of the defensive zone.
The Bulldogs took advantage when Eskymo goaltender Jack Valentine made a strong save, but the dynamic freshman Nordstrom was there for his second goal, and third point, of the game.
"We fought those penalties off," Hughes said. "I thought, oh boy, all right, we're in the clear, we just have to get the puck out and get a line change and get the momentum back. But, unfortunately, that didn't happen, and they put the puck into the net."
The Eskymos pulled Valentine for the extra attacker with 1:31 left in the game, and they had sustained puck control in the Hancock zone. But they couldn't generate a big scoring opportunity, and the game pretty much was decided when the officials called a hand pass with 10.6 seconds left. That put the faceoff in the Eskymo zone, and that did it.
"They're a good team," Hughes said. "Our boys battled hard."
Escanaba took a 1-0 lead late in the first period when Charlie Zuidema took the puck in his own zone, skated up ice, and beat sophomore goaltender Dawson Kero. But Hancock tied the game 20 seconds later on a goal by Donny Hill, set up by Nordstrom.
Nordstrom scored just 50 seconds into the second period to put Hancock in the lead, but the Eskymos tied it later in the period on a Garth Wickham goal. Parker LaMarch and Chris LeMire assisted with 4:46 left on the clock.
That set up another down-to-the-wire finish, with, this time, the Eskymos coming up short. Escanaba's record is 14-6-4 on the season, including two losses to the Great Lakes Hockey Conference champion Hancock. Five of Escanaba's losses came by either one goal, or by two goals, with an empty-net goal added.
Valentine was strong in net with 29 saves. Hancock outshot Escanaba, 32-18.
Escanaba closes the regular season with a make-up game Thursday night against Negaunee. Game time is 7:30 in Wells. The game will not be broadcast on the radio.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos taken by Mary Gauthier, and listen to interviews wih Blaine Reinhart, Coach Matt Hughes, and student manager Zac Denome.
Bulldogs freshman Alex Nordstrom scored the winning goal with 4:56 left in the game.
Escanaba killed off all three of Hancock's consecutive power plays in the third period, but the guys were tired and could not get the puck out of the defensive zone.
The Bulldogs took advantage when Eskymo goaltender Jack Valentine made a strong save, but the dynamic freshman Nordstrom was there for his second goal, and third point, of the game.
"We fought those penalties off," Hughes said. "I thought, oh boy, all right, we're in the clear, we just have to get the puck out and get a line change and get the momentum back. But, unfortunately, that didn't happen, and they put the puck into the net."
The Eskymos pulled Valentine for the extra attacker with 1:31 left in the game, and they had sustained puck control in the Hancock zone. But they couldn't generate a big scoring opportunity, and the game pretty much was decided when the officials called a hand pass with 10.6 seconds left. That put the faceoff in the Eskymo zone, and that did it.
Escanaba took a 1-0 lead late in the first period when Charlie Zuidema took the puck in his own zone, skated up ice, and beat sophomore goaltender Dawson Kero. But Hancock tied the game 20 seconds later on a goal by Donny Hill, set up by Nordstrom.
Nordstrom scored just 50 seconds into the second period to put Hancock in the lead, but the Eskymos tied it later in the period on a Garth Wickham goal. Parker LaMarch and Chris LeMire assisted with 4:46 left on the clock.
That set up another down-to-the-wire finish, with, this time, the Eskymos coming up short. Escanaba's record is 14-6-4 on the season, including two losses to the Great Lakes Hockey Conference champion Hancock. Five of Escanaba's losses came by either one goal, or by two goals, with an empty-net goal added.
Valentine was strong in net with 29 saves. Hancock outshot Escanaba, 32-18.
Escanaba closes the regular season with a make-up game Thursday night against Negaunee. Game time is 7:30 in Wells. The game will not be broadcast on the radio.
Click the thumbnails in the ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS box above to see photos and videos taken by Mary Gauthier, and listen to interviews wih Blaine Reinhart, Coach Matt Hughes, and student manager Zac Denome.
