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Eskymos Start Fast, Cruise To Win Over Marquette
 MARQUETTE----The Escanaba High School hockey team built an early 3-0 lead and then survived several Marquette challenges to beat the Redmen, 7-5, Tuesday night at Marquette's Lakeview Arena. Jake Eastin scored three times, and Nick Vandermissen and T.J. Myrick each scored twice to help the Eskymos pull the season-opening upset. "It was an awesome, awesome game," Escanaba Coach Tim McCarthy said. "I couldn't have started the season any better than to come up here and doing what we did. Our leaders stepped up and did their jobs out there. I'm really happy." 
Escanaba's Jeff Lyle (11) hip-checks Marquette's Forest Folker (24) Tuesday.
Then Myrick scored off a beautiful give-and-go play with sophomore Levi Wunder to give the Eskymos a 3-0 lead just 6:17 into the game. "That's what Levi can bring to the game, those hard, quick passes," McCarthy said. "They're looking at it, their eyes are open. And Stevie Wood on that line was open, too. And he was sick yesterday and was not 100 percent today." "I didn't get play much last year being a sophomore," Myrick said. "But now with only three seniors on the team, I've got to step it up. It's definitely a good thing. I like being a leader and being one of the top guys out there." In the second period, Marquette's Shawn Cornock took advantage of an Eskymo turnover to score off of the crossbar to make it 3-1. But Vandermissen scored two goals in a span of 1:45, with the first coming with the Eskymos trying to kill off a 5-on-3 Marquette power play. That gave Escanaba a 5-1 lead with seven minutes left in the second period, and Marquette removed goaltender Ethan Wiese, replacing him with Evan Kyle. 
Nick LeMire covers the goal post.
Forest Folker scored on a tip play at 8:34 to bring Marquete to within 5-2, then Scott Frazier scored at the 14:12 mark after the Eskymos committed a neutral zone turnover. Suddenly, the Eskymo lead was down to 5-3. "Our guys were getting tired," McCarthy said. "You could tell that by the way we were taking penalties. So, we put the one line out there that was all freshmen. We did that to buy us some time because our (older) guys were tired and taking tripping penalties. "They (the freshmen) played well, and also made some mistakes. We'll look at the film." In the third period, Vandermissen missed on a breakway that would have given him a hat trick. And Marquette got its fifth power play of the game when freshman Charlie Zuidema went off for holding. But the Eskymos killed off the power play. 
Esky freshman Dylan Gauthier ties up Redman Brenden Shanahan.
Then, Myrick and Wunder hooked up on another sweet play, with an ailing Steve Wood also helping out. Myrick celebrated after he blasted one past Kyle. Then, 79 seconds later, Eastin hopped on a turnover and cruised in for his hat trick goal, making it a 7-3 game. Marquette got late goals from Folker and Justin Cain, but all it did was make the final score appear to be close. Truth is, the Eskymos were in control almost all night long. Marquette did outshoot Escanaba, 47-32, with 39 of their shots coming in the final two periods. But LeMire, despite battling a nasty flu bug, made 42 saves for Escanaba. "I don't feel too good right now," LeMire said after the game, "especially when Coach (John) Keepers punched me in the stomach to say 'good game'. I prepared myself and did what I could do. I love beating Marquette!" "Nicky played awesome," McCarthy said. "He was out sick yesterday, and we had three guys who were sick yesterday." 
Escanaba's Nick Aird (14) and Marquette's Scott Frazier (10) battle along the boards.
Marquette got two goals and an assist from Folker, who had a hat trick in the Redmen 5-3 win over the Hancock Bulldogs last Friday night. Escanaba returns to action next Wednesday (Dec. 5) for its home-opener against Sault Ste. Marie. Game time is 7:00. The game will be broadcast live on WCHT-AM (600), and online at www.rrnsports.com. Our broadcast will also be heard in the eastern Upper Peninsula on WSOO-AM (1230). "I hope the Wells Sports Complex is full for that one," McCarthy said. "The Sault has a very good team this year." Sault Ste. Marie visits Marquette this weekend. Click the thumbnails in the above "ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS" box to see more photos and videos, courtesy of Mike and Lisa Dagenais.
Jake Eastin (right) celebrates an Eskymo goal Tuesday evening in Marquette. (Photos by Lisa Dagenais)
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| 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
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